Thank you all for the amazing support on this video! I'm really grateful for the positive feedback and for everyone who’s shared their thoughts. This is the first video for me to hit such a large number of views, and it’s been incredible to see how many of you resonate with the message that age is just a number, and experience is a strength in the tech world. When I started this journey, I just wanted to share and express my thoughts about what I was going through, and to see the conversation grow has been so rewarding. Whether you're 50 or beyond, don’t let anything hold you back-there’s always room to grow and contribute in this field. Thanks again for watching, and keep the conversation going!
I am 63 and I started coding almost 50 years ago. Young developers know that they don’t know. The problem are developers with a few years of experience. They tend to make things more complicated than needed and they follow trends too fast. For POC or VP MVPs that may be fine. Products require stable technology.very few things are really new. Most of it is rediscovering forgotten stuff or things that were abandoned for a good reason. Experience helps to put new ideas into a huge mental map that was built over the years. Note: there are two types of old developers: those working with the same technology for many years an those changing technologies every few years…
Great insights! Experience really does help filter out the noise and focus on what works. Trends come and go, but stable products need solid foundations. In my case, when I was a young dev, I was surrounded by experienced developers who were big on design patterns. As a mid-level dev, I sometimes overcomplicated things by forcing design patterns when a simple solution would have worked better. That’s part of the journey, right? I agree - many 'new' ideas are just old ones repackaged. In the Java world, what comes to mind for me is: RPC → CORBA → SOAP Services → EJBs → APIs → RESTful Web Services → Microservices. Fancy names for similar ideas. And those mental maps built over the years? Invaluable. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
55-yo here, working as developer for 25+ years. I used to believe that this drive for the next shiny tool, language or framework was the result of either natural curiosity or maybe the eternal (and futile) search for the silver bullet to kill all problems. But the reality is, while these are common reasons, in many cases is just a matter of RDD - resume-driven-development: people just want to slap in the resume "experience with noSQL databases" (just an example, it can be anything as long it's new and shiny) so they insist to adopt the "modern way" instead using the good old relational DBMS. I saw that in several occasions in my carrier, and the common point in all is that the "innovator" usually leaves the project for a better offer and leaves the mess to the rest of us to clean up ( if it even is possible, otherwise we need to just live with the mess).
I'm sorry but I have to disagree. You can't make a point on how goood old developers are based on young people following trends whatever that means. You started coding at 50 years old, at this time and age, someone who has 0 prior contact with technology and break into the industry at that age is almost impossible, not only that but programming requires dedication and passion, lots of years of going against a tide something that older people are already way too tired too. You have to continue learning on your own, build projects, learn not 1 or 2 languages but two handfuls of them especially low level and read actual read books in a consistent matter, and put in implementation without losing passion. A lot of old people have their own way and don't change even when the young guy has more reason. You can't put every young programmer in a group and say, "you suck, I'm older and wiser and you stupid and wreckless". If you wanted to bash young programmers and prop up your age that wasn't way to go mate. It starts to sound like a cliche almost to hear that from older folks.
I'm 77 and still coding a little. I started in 1966 with machine language, assembly, and FORTRAN on an IBM 1620. I worked off and on developing engineering software to solve radiation shielding and dosimetry problems as well as buildup and decay of radioisotopes in nuclear reactor fuel. I am revising some of the software I developed over 30 years ago to estimate radiation dose to human phantom models.
@JeffRyman69 Thanks for watching! Machine language in '66-that's a whole different world! Nice, Fortran. I remember taking a Fortran class in '93 that quickly became a C/C++ class. I always found half-life equations interesting, especially their application to radioactive decay. It's amazing how much has changed. For me, the biggest surprise has been the explosion of readily available information. Back then, it was all about library searches (Dewey Decimal system, anyone?), but I was lucky enough to have access to a college library with a VAX/VMS catalog system. What's been the most surprising change for you?
@@TonyTheAntonio The most surprising change to me is the lack of software development in Fortran these days. The language keeps adding new modern features (there is a 2023 standard) but few seem to learn it even though it outperforms most other languages for numerical calculation. And please, I'm not trying to start a flame war over the "best" language. Although not as surprising, the most noticeable change for me is the speed available on my PCs compared to the old mainframes. In the late 1970s and 1980s I would run Monte Carlo estimates of radiation dose in human organs with 60,000 histories on an IBM 360 mainframe. I don't remember how long the runs took but we couldn't run a lot more because of cost. Now, my "old" PC (i9-10850K CPU) can run more than 400 million histories per hour.
Hi @georgiosdoumas2446, That’s awesome! It’s great to see that age didn’t stop you from making the switch to C++. Kudos for landing that junior developer role! I totally feel like C/C++ is not going away. It's the de facto native performance solution and can be modularized for a specific interpreted language or JVMs. In my chip design engineering days, I wrote the Python C++ wrapper to load a native, vendor-specific CPU or memory library module written in C++ into Python. Python was selected in our group because of its scripting nature. This allowed us to quickly iterate and optimize the layout of a chip, reducing the number of cells necessary in the fabrication process. At the time, the cells were just transitioning from microns to nanometers. This was back in 1999 and beyond, when Sun SPARCstations were top-tier! I subscribed to your channel since I love *nix ❤️. What’s been the most challenging part of the transition for you from Linux admin to C++ development?
@@TonyTheAntonio One difficult thing was to find good C++ books. Many books exist for C++ but not all worth reading. And also some good books are to be read after you have reached a level of maturity/knowledge. In Linux it was easier to find good books.
66 Now, retired at 56 and was a developer my entire career. It's ALL I ever wanted, paid to do my hobby. ASM, C, C++ Java some web but preferred the back end. Wrote a low level operating system back in the day. Loved the ride. First job I ever had, still used 'core' memory. Life goes so fast, it seems to be gone in a blink!
@csadler This is great! I totally share the same aspiration of getting paid to do my hobby - it’s the dream, right? 😄 And I completely agree, life does go so fast. Time really flies when you’re doing something you love. My favorite memory with C++ was working on an IEEE modular spec that allowed loading a native library on the fly in Python. This module (whether it's a memory or CPU spec implementation) could be used to prototype or apply static timing analysis on an ASIC chip. This was back in the 2000s. What was your favorite project to work on during your career? Would love to hear more about your experiences! Thanks for sharing!
Ah yes, core memory. My first job was working at Sperry Univac. Booting up a test station, with 8k of memory, using paper tape which then loaded the test software off of a 5mb CDC Hawk drive. I"m 65. Just got laid off, after 19 years, from a job I thought I'd be retiring from (at 66 yrs & 10 mos, i.e. FRA). Been a full-time programmer since '81. Started as an OS programmer on the Motorola 68000. Those were the days.
Hi @awlthatwoodcrafts8911, wow, your story is incredible-talk about core memory! Booting up with paper tape and working with 8k of memory is something most of us can only imagine. It’s amazing to hear about your journey from OS programming on the Motorola 68000 to being a full-time programmer since '81. Funny enough, the Motorola 68000 was what I learned on at the University of Minnesota back in '95-'97. I totally loved that class and working with assembly language for the first time-it gave me such an appreciation for how software and hardware connect, something I still think about when tinkering with Raspberry Pis. I’m really sorry to hear about your job loss after 19 years, especially so close to retirement-that must be a tough transition. How are you navigating things now? What’s your perspective on the current job market for seasoned programmers? Thanks for sharing your story-it’s truly inspiring!
@@TonyTheAntonio thanks. My first exposure to programming was doing machine coding on the Sperry mini computers. It was a 2-week phase of a year long technician's course. They taught us Ohm's Law, transistor theory and all about how the Sperry computer worked. At the end, we were all technicians working in either the component testing (boards and power supplies) or systems test. My first exposure to assembly language was actually for the Western Digital WD16 chip set. The company I worked for started out with the WD16 and then moved to the 68000. It was a huge upgrade to go from 7 registers on the WD16 to 7 address and 7 data registers on the 68000. The youngins don't know how good they have it with today's modern languages. As for my job prospects, I think I'm going to put programming in my past. There's way too much modern stuff that I don't know and I'm not interested in beating my head against wall trying to compete. I'm learning a little Python, which is fun, but I'm done programming professionally. I do some woodworking that I sell on Etsy, and have success with, so a part time job at Home Depot or Lowes is probably where I'll end up and be comfortable, financially.
I’m over 55 and still loving it. I decided many years ago to stay in development and in the detail rather than manage people, instead. It’s totally paid off. The key is to keep learning and be the one in the team who always asks, “why?”.
@russellf That’s awesome! Staying hands-on and keeping that curiosity alive clearly paid off. Asking “why?” and always learning is what keeps dev work exciting. I’ve had plenty of chances to move into management but turned them down. Every time, I think of Captain James T. Kirk: “Don’t ever let them promote you. Don’t let them take you off the bridge of that ship, because while you’re there, you can make a difference.” Thanks for sharing your experience and supporting my channel!
I'm over 60 and still a contract software developer. With the income and flexibility of this role, I have launched side hustles and business ideas. It's a great platform to do a lot of different things from.
That’s awesome, @glenthegoalsguy! Over 60, still crushing it as a contract dev, and launching side hustles? That’s seriously impressive. I totally agree about the flexibility. I spent a few years as a contractor myself, and I loved being able to take vacations and actually relax between projects. All that talk about FTEs being more secure? Honestly, it’s a myth - especially here in the U.S., and definitely in WA State, where employers can let you go anytime, for any reason. Kudos to you for exploring new business ideas. Who says you can’t debug code by day and build your empire by night? Keep showing us how it’s done! Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.
I am an employed DEV at 60. Idiocy (I mean ageism) is rampant. A recruiter recently got back to me saying they are looking for a junior dev (frankly, I would have happily taken the job, and stayed), but what made it clear it was agism, was that the requirements were still 8-12 years with Java. Okay, so I have almost 30 years of experience with Java. But definitely 8-12, with the latest versions of Java, as my last company routinely upgraded, and made use of the latest java capabilities. I was required to learn it and use it. Clearly, ageism, but what can you do? Thankfully I am employed. And I will tell you, I still have a very flexible mind. Hey, I learned to play violin at 55, and I am still married (joke). Most of what we do in DEV is compose, and composition is something I have mastered, everything else is memorization and testing. So, If you can memorize new syntax, if you can memorize new classes, keywords, and capabilities, so long as your compositional circuit is going. You can DEV forever. Being young or old cannot be the issue. If it is, then you are making big mistake. BTW, being in tech these last 30 years, and having to replatform myself every 2-3 years (i.e. Learn a new language, package, or some other system), you'd think people would understand. Here is a guy, who can replatform himself every few years, and he hasn't burnt out, maybe that is just the type of mind we need. Because we are not paying him to lift boxes. No, some people don't understand that old people are friendly, have a great sense of humor, play sports, play music, dance, and rap. The one thing is that we might have some medical issues, but hey, that is just a disability that likely doesn't impact performance. But keep in mind, some at age 60 are going to out-live some in their 20's, it's just a fact. My biological brothers and sisters are in their 80's and 90's right now, and you would never have guess that from their cholesterol reports and overweight condition.
Exactly right., @jakeleone8944. Ageism in tech is frustrating, and your story is all too familiar. I’m also a Java dev with 25+ years of experience - it’s what I love, and it’s all I’ve ever done. Anything Java-related, I’m all in. And just like you, I’ve kept up with the latest versions and features because that’s what the job demands. It’s ridiculous when companies set experience requirements that we easily meet (and then some) but still pass us over because of age. The ability to adapt, learn, and compose solid code doesn’t fade - if anything, it sharpens with time. Your point about replatforming every few years is spot on. That kind of resilience should be exactly what companies value. And hey, if you can learn the violin at 55 and stay married, you’ve clearly mastered more than just Java! Here’s to showing that age doesn’t define our abilities. We can Java forever. Thanks for taking the time to share and for watching!
Totally get that. Sometimes, life’s code needs more play and less compile. Finding that balance really is the endgame. Certain life events can make us realize there’s more out there worth exploring. For me, it was the passing of my eldest brother. It reminded me how short life is and pushed me to adopt an ‘experience it while I’m still alive’ mindset. Thanks for watching!
I'm 65, an embedded systems engineer, self-employed since 1995. I design electronics and write firmware and l love my work. I get called and e-mailed by recruiters every single week. At least here in Europe, embedded systems developers can find work until they are 100.
I love rpi's, especially the new ones with more memory on them. I run ubuntu servers on them. I was also playing around with the IO's just to see how easy it was to code with python. I actually had the prototype breadboard hooked up. Ialso have my rpi's named after the hobbit dwarves names :-) and have it configured on a stack like a server. ha ha. Fun times. I interned at Honeywell in '96 in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and they had me jump on a microcontroller project with one of the HVACs model they were working on. It was a good exposure on how the entire process, from code to eeprom, was done. I learned a lot especial with RTOS. Code was in C. I actually don't mind embedded work like what you are doing...sounds like a dream job for me too. We did a little bit in college with the motorolla CPUs in assembly language. Also, when I was at IBM, our ASIC group actually had thought about how easy it would be to write a chip optimized for java bytecode and this was in '98. Technology is amazing. Thanks for sharing.
@@TonyTheAntonio RPi is quite nice indeed! Very cool that you used it to control a prototype board 👍🙂 As I understand it, these days most young people interested in IT choose web development and AI rather than programming close to the hardware. Over here significant staffing problems are expected, especially in hardcore STEM, when my generation retires.
@@haarew8336 I almost exclusively work in C, and occasionally C++ when a client prefers it. I hear Rust is also suitable for real-time / embedded applications, but I have no experience with it. I'm in the Netherlands. You?
Hi @maswinkels, that’s incredible-45 years of coding and still getting better every day is very inspiring! It’s amazing how passion and dedication can keep you improving over such a long career. What’s been the biggest lesson or change you’ve experienced in all those years of coding? Thanks for sharing your story!
54! 25 years of the grind. It has been 6 months since I last worked. No Interviews, no interest. 25 years of top-notch software development and consultancy in C#. 20+ years of leading teams and stakeholder management. Why do I seem to have become unemployable? The only way forward is to do my own thing. I will take a consultancy job if it arises. So right now, I am working on a game. I still have bills to pay with a 12-year mortgage, and kids in school and college.
I'm also a 54 year old C# developer. It took me a long time to get this job and I don't know what to do if... no, WHEN I lose it. My health is falling apart and am frequently tired - too young to retire and too old to work. I wish I could give you some good advice, but I'm still trying to figure it out myself. Best of luck to you.
Hi @LinesSoftwareDevelopment, thank you for sharing your story-it really highlights the challenges experienced professionals can face in today’s job market. It’s inspiring to see how you’ve adapted to this situation by channeling your skills into creating a game while staying open to consultancy roles. The only thing I can share that’s somewhat relatable is my experience developing a World of Warcraft addon, which was totally voluntary. It has over 108K downloads now, even though I stopped playing the game over a year ago-and it still works, with people actively using it. I absolutely loved making that addon, even without any money coming in. Gaming has always been a passion for me. If the financial pressure weren’t there, would you still choose this path of game development? Wishing you great success with your project and hoping the right opportunity comes along soon!
I'm a 61 years old full stack developer, working in a printing company. I started programming seriously in 1985 and have been making a living of it since 1999. I love my job so much that I hope to never retire. Giving my co-workers and our clients better applications and new features is a never ending source of satisfaction.
Hi @mparento, your story is so inspiring! It’s amazing that after decades in the industry, you still have such passion for your work and find so much satisfaction in helping co-workers and clients with better applications and features. Loving your job so much that you hope to never retire is a true testament to your dedication. It sounds like you’re working in a great place! What do you think has been the key to maintaining your enthusiasm all these years? Thanks for sharing your journey!
No. I'm 55 and work in game development, I've never been more sharp or more valuable. Keep putting the effort in, never lose your curiosity and work towards continuous improvement. Besides, who the hell can afford to retire at 50 anyway?
You know time flies when you're having fun at work-and it sounds like you’ve got that nailed! Staying sharp, staying curious, and continuously improving is what keeps this field exciting. And you’re right, retiring at 50 feels more like a fantasy for most of us. But if you love what you do and you’re always growing, why stop? Thanks for sharing your perspective-it’s a great reminder that passion and effort make all the difference! Thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome! From ZX Spectrum to today-you’re proof that real developers just keep evolving. I wouldn’t have been surprised if you mentioned Tandy. Remember those? Not even sure if they made it to your area back then. My brother was all about Commodore, though-he spent hours messing around with BASIC on that thing. I was mainly hogging the Apple IIe's or IBM PC's at our high school back then learning BASIC. Those were the days. Thanks for watching!
Absolutely, @airaction6423! It’s like the older you get, the more you unlock “developer wisdom mode.” Suddenly, you’re spotting issues before they happen, connecting dots others don’t see, and somehow having more fun coding than ever. It’s like leveling up your dev skills and your ability to laugh at the chaos. I used to work with this young guy who bought 5-hour energy drinks by the case. I mean, who does that? It’s like he was trying to brute-force his way to experience with caffeine alone. Meanwhile, us seasoned devs are over here calmly sipping coffee, letting our debugging radar do the work. Age doesn’t slow you down - it just makes you sharper. Thank you for supporting the channel.
The youngsters don't have the experience to read the manual - which in fairness is unlikely to be there nowadays. Energy drinks have less caffeine than EU coffee - not so sure about US coffee. At Sybase they sometimes put 2 whole beans in the pot!
I’m 55 and I write code every day; however, mostly I end up mentoring and solving other’s problems. I know every programming language, every database, every architecture paradigm, and when, where and why one should be used over another. I learn new things each day. Last night, for instance, I was working on adding functionality to a custom dependency injector, and realized I should add the ability to inject a specify TPL partition (via a generic specifier) depending on whether the collection I am dealing with is a IList or IEnumerable. Custom TPL partitiions are no joke, and besides Steven Taub at MS, I’ve never even heard or seen someone speak of them. I couldnt even explain or describe what I did to my team members. They are clueless with regard to low level code, assembler, lower C#, C, etc. I will say they are very energetic, but often that energy spills over and creates issues I have to backtrack and fix afterwards. Young people tend to code before they thing about how their creation will fit into the enterprise core, which is my speciality.
Your depth of knowledge is impressive! Custom TPL partitions are next-level stuff, and it’s rare to find people who can discuss, let alone implement, them. I totally get what you mean about younger devs diving in without considering the big picture-your experience in keeping the enterprise core solid is invaluable. In my experience, juniors sometimes take a different approach, and everything seems fine at first… until subtle performance issues creep into production, leaving you to untangle a mess of bottlenecks and memory leaks. I’m in the Java world myself, and while frameworks like the Concurrency Package or Spring Batch make parallel processing easier for juniors, it’s similar to how C#’s TPL simplifies things-but understanding what’s really happening under the hood is another story. The complexities of thread management, resource contention, and synchronization can be overwhelming. You’re the glue that holds everything together. I’m glad we, as senior devs, are here to guide them!
Nothing will make you feel more like a professional than watching a new developer pull in all the new libraries, gadgets, and techniques. Each week watching them use their youthful energy to grind away 60 or 70 hours to create an amazing piece of software. Then after a couple years of this you get to deliver the news that the new director has chosen a new stack. All that code, all that work, the thing they brought to life is no longer wanted or needed. Being able to console them in these situations, motivating them to start learning the new tools, start building the new thing, and get them back on that 60 to 70 hour treadmill takes experience. And always make sure they are the one who has to push the button and wipe the repo of all the code they wrote as a form of tough Love.
And let’s not forget the real rite of passage: dealing with Maven library conflicts. Nothing says 'professional developer' quite like spending hours untangling dependencies, only to realize you’ve summoned an ancient, incompatible version of a library. By the time it works, you’re not even sure how it works - just that you’re too scared to touch it again. Tough love might be wiping the repo, but real trauma is wiping out your dependency tree 😂. Thanks for sharing!
Hi @ian-nz-2000, This is fascinating-I’ve been in the Java world for what feels like forever! I’d love to hear more about the path you took instead of Java. What made you decide to avoid it, and how did that influence your approach as a developer? I think your perspective would be really valuable for others to learn from. Thank you for sharing!
Hi @baobabminer5364, I’m so glad the video resonated with you-comments like yours always make my day! Thank you for the kind words. Was there a specific part that stood out to you the most? Thank you for watching!
The RUclips algorithm has a sense of humour. I'm just getting back into software development after a 20 year break and just 2 weeks from my 60th birthday. Having a blast laughing at the pretentious videos by the "I've learned to code in the last 5 minutes and now I'm going to teach you everything" crowds. My first professional application was about 43 years ago (dBase II on CP/M and it ran live without upgrades for over a decade). I'm not going to compete on anyone else's terms or play the same games. Instead I'm enjoying the change of some part-time projects of my choosing.
Fuck yeah! Anyone that says they know at what arbitrary age someone should stop doing whatever, is just making that shit up as they go. Living on your own terms is the only right way.
Hey Dave, the RUclips algorithm strikes again! Welcome back to the world of dev - and happy (almost) 60th birthday. It’s great to hear you’re getting back into coding on your own terms and actually enjoying it. The part-time, passion-project approach sounds ideal: coding for the joy of it without the pain of being on pager duty. Sometimes I do that too like coding addons for World of Warcraft with Lua or maybe Python coding with a raspberry pi device. It's definitely fun trying new things on one's own term. And dBase II on CP/M? That’s some serious history! The fact that it ran live for over a decade is wild. No flashy frameworks, just rock-solid results. I’m on my fourth year of a career break myself, and honestly, the urge to go back hasn’t hit yet. When I look at those similar videos the 'learn to code in 5 minutes'. My reaction is like, Uh oh, I'm out of a job...not! Keep having fun and coding the way you want to. Thanks for watching!
Interesting point! Sometimes experience takes time - sometimes it just takes grit. I might explore that in a future video. For context, I joined the U.S. Army at 17 and served for 3 years, so I graduated college at 25. Even then, I felt pretty clueless at my first job. Programming is fascinating, but figuring out how it applies to the real world - with so many different uses - can be overwhelming. Thanks for watching!
I'm 54 and I also started a RUclips channel. :) I still do have a full time job as a developer though. Ageism definitely exists and I've been fortunate to navigate around it to where I am. Y'all should cross over to the boring enterprise software. 40 is young in our world and young folks all want to work with flashy new stuff. Don't let anyone on this secret! :) Cheers!
That’s awesome, @jelenaperfiljeva4998! Starting a RUclips channel while holding down a full-time dev job at 54? That’s some serious multitasking. And you’re right - enterprise software is the tech world’s best-kept secret. All the young devs are out there chasing the flashy frameworks while we’re quietly building the boring stuff that actually runs the world. Funny you mentioned enterprise software, because that’s where I spent the last five years of my career before taking a break in 2021. Whenever new devs joined my team, they all wanted to do the façade work - and I let them, since they seemed to have fun with it. Then, I quietly took care of the backend work. I can totally relate - back in the late ‘90s, UI work fascinated me too. I started with TCL/TK around 1998 and eventually moved to Java Swing in the early 2000s. Cheers to navigating ageism, keeping code stable and scalable, and protecting the secret of stable jobs and fewer all-nighters. Keep crushing it with your channel and your career!
I'm turning 55 this year and I am learning to become a ServiceNow developer. Also learning Javascript & SQL. The only good thing about this tech niche is that ageism is not the biggest issue.
I'm way past 50, and it's definitely not too old. Every day brings fresh challenges. I'm constantly trying to leverage what I do know, but also looking at new language features and techniques to solve the challenges. That keeps it fresh and fun. However, being a seasoned developer also lets you know when you've gone too far trying to do something new when not getting results. Sometimes you have to drop back and go with what you already know to get things done well and on time.
Absolutely agree, @laurenceotoole1700. Being past 50 is far from being too old in this field. The combination of fresh challenges and the wisdom to know when to stick with tried-and-true solutions is such a valuable skill. It’s like having a built-in radar for when new tech is worth the effort - and when it’s just a shiny distraction. Keeping that balance between learning new things, leveraging experience and having an insight is what makes this career both fun and sustainable. Keep enjoying the ride and proving that seasoned devs still have plenty of game. One thing I really appreciate as a 52-year-old in this industry is seeing all these new language features come out-like arrow functions, for example. We can fully appreciate them because we remember the old syntax. Those were some wild times! 🙂
Hi @SnowDrift-bh7wb, that’s so inspiring! It’s amazing that after moving into management, you chose to return to software development because of your love for the craft. It’s clear your passion for the craft keeps you energized and fulfilled, which reminds me of a famous line from Star Trek: Generations. Captain Kirk said, 'Don’t let them promote you. Don’t let them transfer you. Don’t let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship, because while you’re there... you can make a difference.' Your decision to get back into development feels like that same drive to stay where you thrive most. What’s been the most rewarding part of getting back into development? Thanks for sharing your story!
Starting a coding career at 50 can be challenging because learning to code takes time and dedication. However, if your goal is to learn coding to build your own apps or solve specific problems, it's absolutely worth it. On the other hand, if your purpose is to shift into coding as a standalone career, it might not be the best path to take, as it can take years to master and establish yourself in the industry. I’m 48 and started with no-code tools three years ago when ChatGPT came out. I’ve always believed AI would be transformative, just like the internet boom of the 90s, and I wanted to be part of it. So, I shifted from a real engineering career to software development to create solutions for problems I encountered in my jobsite. For anyone considering coding at 50, it’s never too late if your goal is to use it as a tool to bring your ideas to life.
Hi @rickitekgaaso2927, your story really hits home for me! I also made the switch from engineering (EE) to coding, though I had a bit of a head start with scientific-based apps for the Microprocessor/ASIC industry. For me, I spent so many late nights diving into enterprise computing, databases, and just trying to get better at coding-not because I had to, but because I enjoyed it so much I’d lose track of time (and sleep!). Back then, I was in my 30s, so I had a bit more energy to pull those all-nighters, but honestly, I think persistence is way more important than just energy. My biggest challenge was convincing recruiters in the late '90s that I was ready for the job, even though I didn’t have business app experience. After a lot of interviews, someone finally gave me a break, and that’s how my career took off. I think viewers will find your story really inspiring-it’s such a great example of sticking with it and following your passion. Thanks for sharing!
I am a software engineer and a mom of two, one of whom is nonverbal autistic. I am turning 40 this year. I have been doing all sorts of platform-level engineering. This year, I am switching gears to go into the cloud and get more flexibility for my new decade while raising my children.
When I started in the late 80s, 35 was considered over the hill. My current company has a wide spread of ages from just out of college upto collecting the pension next year. The youngster in my team has just turned 50.
Hey @steve-wright-uk, it’s great to hear about a company that truly values experience. A 50-year-old being the “youngster” on the team? That speaks volumes! Thank you for watching!
I mostly identify with your perspectives. Priorities do change as you edge into 50, especially after you have gone through all the coding/debugging drama. There come a time you wanna let the newbies run with the show as you take up a more mature leadership role, shifting attention to personal projects and family. you become more reflective, and personally I feel like I need to go loose on wings, traverse the world, publish more, get a RUclips channel more active with my reflections and predictions, spend more time with family, and generally engage in activities that keep me happier and more impactful.
Hi @chrisogonas, your comment really resonates with me-it’s so true how priorities evolve over time. I love your vision of stepping into leadership, focusing on personal projects, and spending more time with family. Engaging in activities that bring happiness and impact, like traveling and sharing reflections on a RUclips channel, sounds incredibly fulfilling. I find travel fulfilling myself, so I can totally relate to that part. I’ve noticed some of my colleagues have also transitioned into leadership roles and found it very rewarding. I think I mentioned in one of my videos that tech really has a niche for everyone-it’s all about finding what brings you the most satisfaction. What advice would you give to others who are considering a similar path? Wishing you all the best on this inspiring journey!
Hi @NatashaAblogin, that sounds like such an exciting environment to be a part of! It’s amazing to hear about a fast-growing startup with a team of experienced developers. GenAI truly is groundbreaking-it seems like it’s transforming workflows and empowering teams in new ways. Not knowing more about your team dynamics, I’d imagine GenAI not only changes how tasks are completed but also opens up exciting possibilities for experienced developers to innovate and amplify their impact. How has it influenced the way your team approaches development? Thanks for sharing your experience!
I’m 64 and retired two years ago as a DE after a 40 year software development career. Did some of my best work after age 50 including double-digit US and international patents for distributed data infrastructure. Worked many 7-day work weeks. At age 60, spent two weeks straight (across weekends) diagnosing and fixing a distributed multiprocess random memory corruption bug. Love your honesty here! Invest early and often! Workout consistently. Have a major passion/hobby outside of tech. That’s what kept me in the game so long.
Hi @bbowjazz, your story is absolutely inspiring-40 years in software development, with some of your best work happening after 50, is incredible! Earning double-digit patents, especially considering how tedious and detail-intensive the process can be, truly highlights your dedication and expertise. And diagnosing and fixing a distributed multiprocess random memory corruption bug at 60? That’s an extraordinary achievement. The complexity of distributed systems, combined with the random nature of the bug, makes this a task that only someone with deep technical skill and persistence could tackle. I’ve never had the liberty to work on such a hair-pulling bug myself, but I can imagine how rewarding it must have been to solve. How did you keep your sanity while working on this bug 🤣? Thanks for sharing your journey and wisdom!
By my experience, young devs don't skip unit testing at all. In contrary, they all too often use unit tests, where Integration tests or business level end-to-end tests would have been appropriate. And then the code breaks through changes in the environment or library versions. That does not mean, to neglect unit testing, but use it, where it is appropriate.
Hi @acarson8794, I love your attitude-life really does begin at 50! It’s awesome to hear that you’re just hitting your stride and feeling great about your skills. I’ve been exploring new skills myself and have been wanting to learn Rust. What’s your favorite programming or scripting language so far? Thanks for sharing your perspective!
I'm nearing 50, but the only time I've had to work 60 hours a week was in a startup in early 2000. Been working on database driven web software since then, 37.5 hours a week. Very good salary, not feeling stressed out a bit. Many coders in my current company are over 50, and I've seen people retire from tech jobs too.
Hi @yorkaturr, thanks for sharing your experience-it really sounds like an amazing place to work! Finding a balance with 37.5 hours a week, a great salary, and low stress is what so many people strive for. It’s also inspiring to hear that your company values experienced coders, with many over 50 and even retiring from tech roles. What do you think has been the key to building such a stable and fulfilling career in tech? Thanks again for sharing-it’s really motivating for others on this path!
Hi @mdemst, thank you for sticking with the video-I’m glad it won you over in the end! Turning 50 is a big milestone, and it’s awesome that you’re embracing it on your own terms. I really appreciate your support and kind words. What resonated with you the most by the end? And right back at ya-you rock too! Thanks for watching!
I’m so glad to find this channel 👏. I see lots of comments here from experienced programmers. I’m over 40 years old age and no coding experience. Can someone help out with some insights about which area is better to go, web development or mobile development? I’m even thinking about cyber security 🧐. It’s hard to pick because all this hypes about AI going on. I would appreciate any insights, either positives or negatives. Thanks everyone 👏
I started working in IT in my early 20's. I burned out before my 40's. I could pause for a couple of years, recovered a bit and then I run out of cash and I had to work a few more years in the field to pay the bills: only, this time, for one fifth of the salary I was earning before the first burn out and with a lot more pressure and responsibilities and no support team. Then, on the verge of the second burn out, I was fired because they decided to outsource. I will be 50 next year and I am so profoundly disgusted about the industry as a whole.
Hey @joe-skeen, that sounds incredibly tough, and I can’t imagine how frustrating that must have been. Sometimes, we do what we have to do to pay the bills, and honestly, driving a school bus is meaningful work. You’re making a difference every day. Do you see yourself getting back into tech at some point? Either way, thanks for sharing your story-it really puts things in perspective.
@TonyTheAntonio we'll see how things go. For now, tech is still part of my life. I've been able to use my talents to help with tech-related things at the bus garage. And I still have consulting on the side, even if it's not enough to pay the bills.
@ with the arrival of the AI software copilots like Cursor, the human natural language would be the programming language. Software developers’ real job is problem solving. The language is just a tool.
Hi @Krn7777w, You make a great point! If AI copilots like Cursor can simplify coding, it would certainly free developers to focus more on solving the actual problems. In that sense, the language would just become a means to an end, allowing us to spend more time thinking creatively and strategically. Do you think this shift could lead to a new kind of developer role, focused more on designing solutions than coding them? Would love to hear your thoughts!
@ yes, a role where the logical thinking and problem solving would be more important than the programming languages. The knowledge of how production level software was developed traditionally would be great to have as it would help the programmers to create appropriate prompts in human languages.
I only started four years ago as a FEE and I'm 41. I hope to get into VP/Director in the next 2-3 years. With AI, I'm not sure what an org's structure with engineers will look like.
I hear you, @Makebuildmodify. The job market and ageism are real challenges, and it’s hard not to feel discouraged sometimes. It made me sad in the few months before I took a break in 2021. The company was ramping up hiring, and I was interviewing a lot of entry-level devs. Some of those devs ended up working under the pod I was leading. As fun and rewarding as it was to work with these new talents, it suddenly hit me - I was ramping up my replacements. That realization stung. But here’s the thing: experience matters. The wisdom, pragmatism, and battle-tested skills we bring to the table can’t be replaced that easily. Companies may not always see it right away, but the value we offer goes beyond knowing the latest framework or trend. Hang in there - your skills and experience are worth more than the job market sometimes lets on. Thanks for watching!
The constant need to learn new things in this industry, often making previous accomplishments feel irrelevant, can be really disheartening and make people feel undervalued.
I totally get what you mean, @__thytran. The constant need to stay on top of new technologies can definitely be overwhelming, and sometimes it feels like everything you’ve already learned doesn’t matter anymore. My experience with Java was that there were so many great new things being introduced, like more efficient syntax, but actually implementing those changes in code was a challenge because more than half the team wasn’t keeping up with the changes… It felt like trying to upgrade a car engine while still driving it on the road! But I really like what @obiwankenobe3962 mentioned about not having to constantly keep up with every change, especially in slower-moving languages like C++. It’s reassuring to know that you can focus on mastering what’s important without getting lost in the race to learn the latest thing. I’d love to hear how you’ve been managing the constant changes. Have you found any methods or strategies that help balance staying current with avoiding burnout? Thanks for sharing your thoughts, it’s a tough balance to strike in this fast-paced industry!
I've been developing in C++ on Windows for almost 30 years, but didn't get into it professionally until around 2000. Computing had been a hobby since the late 70s. Assembly languages, C, C++ mainly. I've now retired and it's back to being a hobby. I just couldn't keep up with rapid change and the need to re-skill in the industry. I love C++ and didn't want to invest heavily into retraining into new languages and tools at my age (mid 60s), especially ones I didn't like. I simply didn't enjoy, nor did I have the passion for the way our company was heading. I'm not interested in re-employment right now, but even if I was, I doubt anyone would employ me.
@kinsondigital Thanks for watching! I started getting paranoid when my company had massive pre-pandemic layoffs. I survived, but it felt almost worse when they then hired 4-6 new grads during the pandemic and had me lead their ramp-up. It felt like I was just being used to train my potential replacements. It definitely created a sense of uncertainty. Have you ever felt like your role was being used in a similar way during times of change?
@@TonyTheAntonio Indeed. Since the pandemic I have moved to another country and completely changed direction. I do consulting now, and I work for myself and I am pursing my own projects. My wife also lost her job during pandemic. But we are doing great now!
@kinsondigital I have some interest in doing the same, working on another country, but In not sure how to go about it. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad to hear you both are doing well. Cheers.
I'm retired now, but I swapped from software dev to tech writer at 48 and wound up wondering why I hadn't done it sooner. What drove me to change was (a) burnout, after years of crazy hours and never ending demands, (b) awareness of looming ageism, and (b) aging parents that I wanted to have the flexibility to care for. As a writer of documentation for system (backend) devs such as I had been, my stress was much lower, there was less whiplash, and I genuinely loved what I was doing. It was like just the fun bits of being a dev. I'm not sorry I was a dev, but I am so very glad it bootstrapped me into becoming a writer.
Hi @mosselyn5081, Thank you for sharing your experience! It's amazing how you turned a challenging situation into an opportunity for a fulfilling career change. Your story highlights the importance of recognizing when it’s time to prioritize balance and pursue what brings joy. I actually love technical writing as well. Do you have any tips for others in tech considering a similar transition? Thank you for watching!
@@TonyTheAntonio The two tips I usually give transitioning devs are to get training and be humble. You may think you know how to write technical documentation after years of func specs and the like, but you would be wrong about that. Technical writing is its own art, just like coding. Also, as a writer, you're no longer the SME (Subject Matter Expert); respect your SMEs' time and in-depth knowledge. You're not the big dog now!
Hi @@mosselyn5081 , These are fantastic tips-thank you for sharing! It’s so true that technical writing is its own art, and approaching it with humility and a willingness to learn makes all the difference. I really like your point about respecting SMEs; building that relationship is so important for creating great documentation. Thank you for sharing your insights!
We need experienced senior dev for when everything goes wrong.. thats for sure. They swoop down like batman and solve it. But now I'm going out as a lone gun.. working alone. I am worried about that. Software dev/ web dev is the only job Ive ever done where I actually want to stay behind.
Spot on man! I'm 52, left my career a few years ago to become a carer for my missus and all my time is my own to develop what I like. I started learning when I was 9.
That’s awesome, Carl! Being able to take control of your time and develop what you love sounds like the dream. Starting at 9? That’s decades of experience right there! It just goes to show that passion for coding doesn’t fade with age. Thanks for watching!
Well, I am not a sw dev; 47 yrs old. I was a technical engineer on one of Oracle's software suites. After 12 years I was laid off (also the company was bought by a very large American/Indian company). Then it went down in a spiral, 5 years I did not work. Started as a driver in a van to distribute boxes of food. These were years of hard work, but one of the best in terms of fulfilling, seeing other things from my country etc. It showed you can start again, if you set your mind to it. I also find out I have a form of ASS and ADD. Then I started as a software manager/maintainer of a lesser known suite. I restarted in sw again, without any hassles. The only thing it has a more closed environment, documentation lacks, some tooling only available to consultants. It is something I am not familiar with, but I went along. In any way, life takes you along paths, you never thought of. Jobs, private life. You have to pick yourself up, if possible.
Limited documentation and restricted tooling? That’s like following directions that lead you straight into a brick wall. But you adapted anyway-proof that sometimes you just have to break through the obstacles and keep going. Here’s a story I can relate to: an entire team got fired, and we inherited all their code and its maintenance. And let me tell you, the code was the documentation. Talk about a headache. Thanks for sharing!
I did a CompSci degree 1977-81. I am still working as a software developer and will probably keep at it for a few more years. I like what I do and I enjoy my time off but without something to do during the winter months I think I would be bored stupid.
@MurrayMcDonald4361 That's awesome! I'm on the same boat. For me, sometimes being bored can spark new ideas or projects, though I totally get what you mean about needing something to do. Otherwise, I just hop on an MMORPG game online, which can be a time sink for me as well. I love working with Raspberry Pi's-it's a fun way to stay sharp and explore new things. Do you have any other hobbies or projects that keep you busy during the off-season? Always cool to hear what others are up to! Thank you for sharing.
Retired SW Engr (69), quit a couple years ago. The key is being able to sell yourself and to come across as having a young, open mind, in a non-decrepit body. I did projects on the side (unpaid, for myself) that demonstrated I could learn new things. I built a website with me narrating my work - one boss was impressed that I didn't use ums or uhs in my narration. Having a large repertoire of varied projects helps headhunters find slots for you. All that said, I hate what software dev has become today: can't stand open offices (noise), and too many mediocre managers view Agile as a religion. I was lucky when COVID hit, and was able to work at home for 18 months. I quit shortly thereafter and never looked back. The reality is: My younger self could run rings around my current self. Experience helps - more at the project level - but most managers are looking for speed and ability to fit in on a team. Kids simply do not have the same interests as older people, and I got bored being around them - which doesn't help the team.
Hi @kirkevans4544, thanks for sharing! I've had similar experiences with generational differences, although it's always great to find those younger folks who are on the same wavelength. Open office noise is a huge pet peeve. It's awesome you retired and never looked back--that's the dream! I'm really trying to aim for this...style trying to figure it all out. Also, it's tough to shake the "ums" and "uhs" too - I'm definitely guilty of that.
I'm 52 sw developer. the last project I worked, I did the backend part and a junior dev, the front. The project had a considerable scope and we had 5 months to have it in production. In summary, no time to fancy stuff. Feature after feature, the requirements demanded a lot of integration with external APIs, no time for unit testing at all. What I see in younger devs is some lacking of pragmatism. They need to achieve the state of art, apply every technique available, CC, CA, TDD, DDD, etc all hot trends but they don't take in account the limited time and customer preferences. They treat the project like their shining toy and put ego above everything. I had hard time trying to work along some of those guys, they need to shine at all costs and they are really competitive.
I’ve always been an independent contributor as a software developer, and at the start of each sprint, I usually let the younger devs pick their favorites - and surprise, surprise, they always go for the UI! Somehow, the young ones just love working on the frontend. [Edit]: "they need to shine at all costs" This is more likely the reason why 'they' like working on the frontend, but who really knows... When it comes to unit testing, I think the approach should be decided by the whole team, including project managers and product managers. I’ve never been a fan of strict metrics like “70% test coverage,” but I do believe critical business logic should always be tested. In many cases, those tests double as documentation, which is incredibly valuable. Blindly writing tests for everything, though, can be a costly mistake. Instead, we estimate testing efforts carefully to deliver on time as accurately as possible. In my view, tests should make the business logic clear enough that you don’t need to track down the person who wrote the code. After all, they might be on vacation or have moved on to another company. When bugs can potentially cost a lot of money, having reliable tests isn’t just nice to have - it’s essential. And let’s be honest - ego can really suck the life out of a team. I never position myself as the “authority,” but when someone tries to interrupt another dev during a meeting, I always step in with, “Hold on, let them speak, and let’s hear them out.” That kind of inclusiveness fosters teamwork and shows that everyone’s input is valued. I’ve seen the other side of this too - teams that skip testing and end up constantly fighting fires. It’s chaos, and the whole team, including stakeholders, pays the price. Minimal testing might seem faster, but it often leads to disaster in production. In fact, I can usually tell when code was written without tests just by looking at it... at least in the Java world! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate you.
Being a software engineer is 99.9% mental so long as you are sharp the answer is no. Most people remain sharp well into their 70's however there is an age bias. You need to keep up on the latest changes in tech and not remain stagnant.
reaching 50 and no longer want to talking about the newer tool or who’s right but focus on what makes me utilizing my experience in the right moment, direction is way more important than speed.
Well said! At a certain point, it’s less about chasing the latest tools and more about applying experience wisely. After all, knowing where to go is more important than getting there fast. Direction over speed - one can go in the wrong direction super fast as an example. I couldn’t agree more!
Hey Tony, I see this as the socially conditioned job mindset. When I think of benefit you'd provide, I see good things. I'd love to have someone like you involved in our organisation, I see benefit. It's not about a job, it's not about money, moneys just the metric, it's about benefit and trading benefit. You'd bring some pretty decent benefit my friend,,,
Thanks, @lawrencium_Lr103! You’re so right about the socially conditioned job mindset - we get stuck thinking it’s all about the title or the paycheck. But in the end, it’s really about the benefit we bring and the value we exchange. I’ve always believed that when we focus on providing real benefit, the rest takes care of itself. Sounds like you’ve got a great outlook for building a solid team, and I appreciate the kind words. If more people thought like this, work would be a lot more rewarding. Here’s to more ‘trading benefit’ and less ‘chasing metrics’! Thanks for watching!
I'm 55 and I'm still working. Since one year I'm even thrown in the new AI jungle. Definitely not bad for one born with Apple II BASIC and Honeywell COBOL or IBM System/36 with the huge 8" floppies. I'm going to continue up to my 70s. 😂
That’s awesome! From 8” floppies to AI - you’re basically a tech time traveler! I think I recall buying the Flight Simulator (or a similar product) for the IBM PC at target when it was still 8" floppies :-). I can still recall the sound the drive makes when it loads the program. Thanks for watching!
@TonyTheAntonio I guess that you are talking about Sublogic's Flight Simulator. 😅 Yes, probably I'm a bit a time traveler and I still have nostalgy of the coins inserted in analogic pinballs with mechanical score boards or the first Space Invaders. But I was also so lucky to have studied COBOL in my high school that next to my TTY keyboard+green CRT monitor there was a punched card reader! And TTY had no backspace, so you had to use the @ character if I remember correctly to go back. E.g. if instead of writing HELLO you wrote HALLO to fix the error you had to write HALLO@@@@ELLO 😳😬😌
Ha ha, yes! Sublogic's Flight Simulator - those were the days! 😅 I totally get that nostalgia. The sound of coins in analog pinball machines and the thrill of Space Invaders are hard to forget. Your COBOL story brings back memories! My first job at IBM in Rochester, MN, also involved AS/400 manufacturing. They had a card punch and one of those massive early hard drives in a display window for everyone to see. And that character fix with TTY? Classic! I think I remember seeing these TTY keyboards when I played around with a VAX/VMS at a nearby college. I took a high school Pascal class in ‘88 but never used it in the industry. Then in college C/C++ came into our lives with an attitude, and later Java took over. Funny how the tech changes, but those memories stick with us. Thanks for sharing.
At 44, with 3 years of xp, my second career feels totally screwed. I can't get an interview. The jobs I did get had every manager defensive and passive aggressive. I had peers on their first jobs, half as productive, rarely available, who just nodded their heads at every meeting. That seems to be what the bosses valued.
Hi @theAutomaTom, Thank you for watching! That sounds frustrating, and I can definitely understand how it feels when you're working hard, but the environment doesn’t value your experience or contributions. It’s tough when managers seem more focused on “yes people” rather than those who are genuinely productive. What worked for me in the past was networking with past colleagues who truly know you best. These are usually the ones I stay in touch with after leaving a company as a W-2 contractor. I keep the ones who share my values about what a good dev environment should look like. I’ve had better luck finding jobs that really fit me through this approach. On the other hand, have you considered looking for opportunities in smaller companies or startups where your experience might be more valued? I’d love to hear what you think!
In big companies developer positions were outsourced long time ago. Companies looking for engineers who can quickly glue bunch of different systems, test and deploy to the cloud. More free/open source stuff is better. So I would say it's late to be software developer regardless age. Just a bit of a background: 48 years old, started to work as software developer in 1994 (Visual C++)
Hi @henson2k, Visual C++ was definitely a thing back when I started too! I get what you’re saying about the trend toward quick-and-dirty solutions. When I was contracting a lot, I actually ran into those “quick-glue-together” in-house type situations. It wasn’t always pretty. In fact, the team was stuck in the “storming” phase and never really got to the “norming” phase. The egos were all over the place, and I even had the luxury of working with a bipolar guy who forgot his meds on more than one occasion - it was a mess! But, honestly, most of my contracting experiences were positive overall. Not to put you on the spot but: What makes you feel like it's too late to get into software development? Would be great to hear your perspective!
Hi @TheMindverse, I hear you! The constant chase for the "hot new framework" can definitely get exhausting...and the feeling of 'Damn. Now, I have to refactor because of this new framework feature.' It’s nice to focus on what actually works for the long haul rather than jumping to the next big thing-or constantly keeping up with new features of a framework. Are there any features or tools you’ve stuck with for the long haul that still keep you productive? I’d love to hear your thoughts! HBD in 3 weeks! 🎂 Thank you for sharing!
No way is 50 too old. Im past that 5:10 and some, if you can deliver projects, as you get older as long as long as you don’t get excessive with pay (but still get paid more than contemporaries), stay technical, you will find you may become the go-to person . If you are seen as ‘expensive but comparatively a bargain’ and safe pair of hands to bring home projects, you will be in demand at your organisation.
Totally agree-50 (or beyond) is far from “too old” in software development. Delivering projects reliably and staying technical is a huge asset. Companies love that kind of experience, especially when you balance it with reasonable compensation expectations. I’ve seen firsthand how senior devs who are dependable and bring real value become the go-to people, even when others are getting paid more. Being that “safe pair of hands” who consistently gets the job done makes you indispensable. In the end, it’s not about age; it’s about the results you deliver. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
Hi @gnarfgnarf4004, you’re an inspiration to us all-75 and still doing production coding is amazing! It’s proof that passion and skill truly have no age limits. What inspires you each morning when you know you’ll be coding all day? Keep up the incredible work!
Hi @jaredtruscott4889, I’m sorry to hear that your passion has taken such a hit over the years. Would you care to share the details about that 10 years? I could probably relate to some of it. Thank you for sharing!
@ Thanks for the reply! It’s been awful. I imagine the core issue is that switching careers (from retail management) to web dev at 40 made for a rough transition as I took ANY dev job I could get. Obviously across 10 years the issues became more nuanced, but the catalyst was always the same; I was consistently hired under the impression that I’m being hired for my specialized knowledge and skill-set , only to discover that I was being hired to to just say “OK”, and then go do whatever job I was given, plus the jobs of all the people who were supposed to be helping but weren’t . And when that inevitably failed, it was also my responsibility to shoulder the blame and fix it. I also became increasingly exhausted with the number of excuses I’d get from supervisors or directors. They became increasingly frustrated with me holding them accountable and expecting them to do their jobs too. You can imagine how fast it went downhill from there. I suppose I should be pickier about the places I work, but picky eaters are the first to starve, you know what I mean? Thanks again!
Hi @@jaredtruscott4889 Thank you for sharing your story-it sounds like you’ve faced some incredibly tough situations. Transitioning into a new field is challenging enough, and being undervalued or unsupported makes it even harder. It’s so frustrating when expectations don’t align, and you’re left to handle more than your fair share. I can totally relate to this. I started out feeling like I was on the right track with my job satisfaction and career goals, but over time, a series of events threw me off course. There were times I felt grateful just to have a job, but there were also days when I questioned whether I was on the right path anymore. It’s a constant battle, and most devs I’ve talked to share that “life is too short” mentality-prioritizing enjoying what they do above all else. When I hit a similar crossroads, I decided to step back, reflect on what I’d learned, and reevaluate where I wanted to go next. Thank you again for sharing so openly!
If any company is holding to the quite frankly stupid paradigm you're "old" because of a certain age and believes you are not innovative, then they are not worth taking seriously and you should not remain there. Some of the most lazy, unimaginative minds I met were well under 30 who often had a most annoyingly accompanied unjustified arrogance of abilities and capabilities they delusionally thought possessing. In contrast, some of the brightest, innovative and supple minded people I know are well over 60 (and in a few cases 70+!) still in the field and pushing boundaries. The truth is that companies will get more out of younger people but by chiefly exploiting them and their ambitions. By 30, many become jaded and not loyal to any company. This now happens even much earlier than 30 I notice. Company turnover is high and morale is low. It's really a crappy business model with such lower retention and focus on manning positions by getting the lowest common denominator with seemingly attractive startup offers that often never materialize or remain stuck there for years. And this ethos is not just with tech but in general across corporate and academic jobs. Bottom line, if you love your field, remember why you got into it and never let that passion die and stay active by learning and self-improving and never stopping to invest in yourself. You do not own any company, institution, or person anything. It's your life. Stop fearing age and focus best you can on improving and leveraging up and planning good "exit" strategies to the next thing you want in life. This works for anyone and at any age. That all said, I would not want my kids in this field. Its far too hostile and toxic today.
honestly, I think a 40 something and older dev who has been coding for ages can adapt way way way quicker to new tech than a 25 year old fresh dev... or even an older one who changed careers. They have the wired brain to do it... I have seen it first hand. I've seen a 40 year old senior dev just pick up a new framework.. start coding something for a client and they are away. But there's plenty of space in dev for anyone who puts their back into it and is keen.... be they 20 or 50.. or even older.
@paul.mcguinness6075! At 61, diving into Python, sharpening your math skills, and exploring AI agents is seriously inspiring. The fact that you’re looking to use AI to help others meet their goals is the cherry on top. Proof that learning never stops and experience is always valuable. Python was one of the languages I fell in love with. I still use it occasionally when I need to write more complex scripts for myself. I started out with Perl and Tcl, then picked up Python in 1999. I even wrote C++ wrappers back in the day to load native C++ and custom modules into Python. I still love Python to this day-you can never go wrong with it. Keep going-you’re making a difference! Thanks for watching!
Another question but related. How are you guys’ necks and backs and even hands? A few years back I totally switched to the lightest keyboard I could I find (HHKB using Topre switches) and try to use a trackpad instead of mouse even with a desktop. Back and neck not great but not super terrible. Trying to “sit up straight” all the time.
I totally get it-I’ve dealt with back and neck pain too. I even tried a standing desk, but it only helped a little. What really made a difference was cutting back on sugar, carbs, and alcohol to reduce inflammation. After about 3 days of cutting those out, the pain started to ease up. It wasn’t an instant fix, but once I weaned off those, things got better. I also added 30-minute walks during lunch. No intense workouts, just a consistent habit to keep inflammation down. It’s been a total game-changer for me!
Nope. 58 year old dev here. Started with BASIC when I was 15 and started professionally when I was 23. I am not programming daily, but certainly weekly. The code I write today is definitely much better then when I was much younger. Experience rules!
Hey @sanderdejong66, that's awesome to hear! I also got started with BASIC in high school - it was just me and one other guy who were interested in the Apple IIe in the library. I had 30 minutes before class each morning to mess around with it. The computer was always free because no one was interested in it in my school back in the day. Good times! My high school also offered Pascal, which I took my senior year - that really solidified my desire to be a software dev. It's great to hear about your journey, from BASIC at 15 to still coding weekly at 58. What's one thing you wish you knew back when you were first starting out? Thanks for sharing!
@ Good question. I think it’s good that I didn’t know at the time that later almost all software development stuff would be free! I would have been so impatient.
In my opinion it boils down to: if you have experience then you are too expensive. Without experience you will repeat lots of errors. Chasing the latest fashion doesn't make you a better engineer. Becoming a fashion victim means that you have a very limited knowledge of what technologies exist and why. With enthusiasm you can easily run full speed into the wrong direction.
You nailed it, @gammalgris2497. It really is a double-edged sword: experience brings immense value, but that value often comes with a price tag companies aren’t willing to pay. On the flip side, a lack of experience means repeating mistakes that could’ve been avoided. Some companies gamble that younger devs can ramp up quickly enough to replace senior-level talent. Maybe that works in rare cases, but I don’t think it’s the norm. And you’re spot on about chasing trends - the latest and greatest doesn’t always mean the best fit. It’s like that saying: the grass is always greener on the other side. New tools and frameworks might look shiny and exciting, but once you start using them, you often discover a whole new set of issues. New framework, new problems. I’ve seen it happen far too many times. The tech landscape is full of buzzworthy tools, but knowing why a technology exists and when to use it (or not) is what separates solid engineering from, well, fashion victims. Enthusiasm is great, but like you said, it’s easy to sprint full speed… straight into a dead end. Thank you for watching. I appreciate it!
Ah yes, the classic career pivot: senior developer to mercenary-for-hire. One way to escape the 2 a.m. production outages, I guess! But seriously, I get your point - when it comes to putting food on the table, 'too old' isn’t really a thing. Thanks for watching!
my experience is that young developers tend to develop a lot of unnecessary stuff and overcomplicate things while many old developers are stuck in some old enterprise mindset like they have sold their soul to oracle or something.. Of course there are many exceptions in both age directions and I have worked with very nice old and young developers.
That's a really insightful take! Younger devs can sometimes get caught up in shiny new tools and over-engineer things, while older devs may cling to 'the way things have always been done.' But like you said, there are exceptions on both sides-great developers exist at every age. Will mixing perspectives lead to the best solutions? It certainly makes you wonder. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for watching!
Hi @ThBraveBraveSirRobin, Thanks for watching! That’s awesome to hear. What do you think has been your main strength in keeping the momentum going? Would love to hear more about your journey!
New/young devs are like python, uncompiled and scripted for the apparent dataset in hand. Older devs are experienced, knowledgeable to the underlying interactions, and resembly C/C++ (proven and rarely in need of rewrite).
Haha, love the comparison! New devs might be quick and flexible like Python, but yeah, sometimes they need a little ‘runtime debugging.’ Us older devs? We’re the C/C++ types-solid, maybe a bit stubborn, but when it comes to performance and knowing what’s under the hood, we’ve got it covered. Just don’t ask us to change syntax too often! Thanks again for sharing.
Thanks for watching, Phil! That’s an interesting observation-it seems like pharma companies might really value experience when it comes to software engineering. Do you think that’s due to the complexity of the work, or is it just the way hiring trends have shaped up in the industry? Would love to hear more about what you’ve noticed!
@TonyTheAntonio I wouldn't say it was any more complex than other forms of industry. In the 25 years I've been in the industry most of the labs I visit have had the same staff long term. Technicians and scientists. Also (different conversation) it is still 99% Windows due to IT departments and domain control.
Something very few people discuss are eyesight issues. As you get older, your eyesight deteriorates. I can't tell you how many devs I have seen rubbing their eyes...70 year olds...they can barely see the screen.
@genx7006 Thanks for watching! Absolutely! Eyesight is a huge factor, especially for devs. I can relate-I had to start wearing glasses at 46 (I'm 52 now), and it definitely took some getting used to. I lost a couple of expensive pairs early on, which was a good lesson in buying backups. It really makes you appreciate good ergonomics and screen setup. Have you noticed any specific changes in your work habits or setup to accommodate eyesight changes?
@genx7006 I'm really sorry to hear that things aren't improving. I can only imagine how challenging that must be. Sending positive thoughts and hoping you find ways to manage it.
The best developers are between 50 and 65 years old because they cut their teeth on C and C++, and generally understands computer architecture because they had to to understand pointers.
Ok, fine. Everything you say is true. Every person who has experience as a developer knows it. But none of that is going to matter or change employers' minds. They will continue to look for young talent. Why? One of the reasons is money. An experienced developer will want to earn more while young people will work for less money. Every company knows that this will hurt them because they have to train these people and, let's face it, the younger generation is having trouble staying in their jobs (due to lack of focus, skills, etc.) Every company knows about these problems but nothing will change their minds about hiring experienced developers who know their worth and can defend their rights.
@posman_ Thanks for watching! I agree, the focus on younger talent is definitely a trend. But I think there's real value in having experienced developers mentor and guide new grads. However, if you were the experienced dev leading that ramp-up, wouldn't you be at least a little concerned about your own job security? Do you think companies are effectively balancing the cost of training with the value of experience and mentorship?
Christ mate, I'm older and working in what is known as a black spot for jobs. And the irony is that i'm earning more than I ever earned (which would be average with major cities) - all because of Covid - so my advise is keep improving your skillset and have a passion for software and you can code into your 60's
Love that perspective! It's wild how the world changes, but skills and passion always pay off. Proof that coding has no age limit - just a mindset limit! When I was developing my addons in Lua, it definitely made my understanding about Lua and the World of Warcraft APIs a little faster and hence it accelerated that development. I think regardless of the programming language also that in your point, if you have the passion for coding and improving skillsets, one can definitely code until they drop, per say. Thanks for watching.
Perhaps the reason there are not many 50 year old devs is because we can’t be bothered to do it anymore. Old devs are not respected because most of their experience is not relevant to cutting edge devs. Also, the type of person showing up these days is quite different what was desirable in the old school devs from the 90s. These two groups of people are not part of the same culture, there is a culture clash and it’s not due to age, it’s not that simple.
Hi @paulbrown5839, You make an interesting point. It’s true that the culture has shifted, and what was valued in the '90s might not be as relevant today. I think the clash isn’t just about age but also about different work styles and expectations. It’s definitely a complex issue. Thanks for sharing!
The main problem today is Companies want cheap. Our industry is being ruined by outsourcing to other countries. Just like happened with every other job. Greedy American Companies are gutting the middle class. There should be laws like in Europe about the ageism thing. I am 54 and have been lucky so far. I hope to make it to the age when I want to retire. Each time our company goes into layoff mode I worry. After the last year, I hope that won't happen again for another 5 years. You get what you pay for outsourcing.
I always envy people who are in this situation-why mess with something that’s working so well? If your projects are thriving, that’s the dream! Honestly, I’d love to have your job. Keep doing what you’re doing, and thanks for watching and sharing your experience. It’s inspiring!
Hi @bookswiper, You’re right-cost is definitely a factor, but I think experience brings value that can’t always be measured by price. It could still boil down to cost, though. For example, hiring one senior dev and the rest as younger devs in a team of 5 to 10 might take a little longer to get up to speed, but it could still be cheaper overall. I guess it’s back to the balancing act of better, cheaper, and faster. What do you think-do you think experience is valued enough, or is the focus mostly on cost? Would love to hear your thoughts and thanks for sharing!
AI will explain to you what is waterfall and what is agile, bu real life is mostly water-agile-fall ;-) seasoned devs learn from experience never turned into text available to train LLM models...
Thanks for supporting my channel! I agree, while AI can define waterfall and agile, it can't replicate the messy reality of "water-agile-fall." It's the practical, on-the-ground experience that truly counts, and as you said, those lessons aren't easily turned into training data. What's a common pitfall you've seen in projects that no textbook can prepare you for?
Hi @bagzhansadvakassov1093, You raise some valid points about how lifestyle choices can affect focus and productivity. It’s interesting how different generations have their own challenges and influences. What do you think is the key to staying focused and productive in today's fast-paced world? Would love to hear your take!
@DARK_AMBIGUOUS, That definitely made the gaming and anime experience more interesting! I once raided in a game with a lead who was in an 'altered state'... and somehow, we had even more fun because of it.
Hey, if it works for shoes and hair, you’re just maximizing your investments 🤣! I think I started losing hair around my mid 30's. So sad, but gotta go completely bald someday. Thanks for watching!
Thank you all for the amazing support on this video! I'm really grateful for the positive feedback and for everyone who’s shared their thoughts. This is the first video for me to hit such a large number of views, and it’s been incredible to see how many of you resonate with the message that age is just a number, and experience is a strength in the tech world. When I started this journey, I just wanted to share and express my thoughts about what I was going through, and to see the conversation grow has been so rewarding. Whether you're 50 or beyond, don’t let anything hold you back-there’s always room to grow and contribute in this field.
Thanks again for watching, and keep the conversation going!
I am 63 and I started coding almost 50 years ago. Young developers know that they don’t know. The problem are developers with a few years of experience. They tend to make things more complicated than needed and they follow trends too fast. For POC or VP MVPs that may be fine. Products require stable technology.very few things are really new. Most of it is rediscovering forgotten stuff or things that were abandoned for a good reason.
Experience helps to put new ideas into a huge mental map that was built over the years.
Note: there are two types of old developers: those working with the same technology for many years an those changing technologies every few years…
Well put.
Great insights! Experience really does help filter out the noise and focus on what works. Trends come and go, but stable products need solid foundations.
In my case, when I was a young dev, I was surrounded by experienced developers who were big on design patterns. As a mid-level dev, I sometimes overcomplicated things by forcing design patterns when a simple solution would have worked better. That’s part of the journey, right?
I agree - many 'new' ideas are just old ones repackaged. In the Java world, what comes to mind for me is: RPC → CORBA → SOAP Services → EJBs → APIs → RESTful Web Services → Microservices. Fancy names for similar ideas.
And those mental maps built over the years? Invaluable. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
55-yo here, working as developer for 25+ years. I used to believe that this drive for the next shiny tool, language or framework was the result of either natural curiosity or maybe the eternal (and futile) search for the silver bullet to kill all problems. But the reality is, while these are common reasons, in many cases is just a matter of RDD - resume-driven-development: people just want to slap in the resume "experience with noSQL databases" (just an example, it can be anything as long it's new and shiny) so they insist to adopt the "modern way" instead using the good old relational DBMS. I saw that in several occasions in my carrier, and the common point in all is that the "innovator" usually leaves the project for a better offer and leaves the mess to the rest of us to clean up ( if it even is possible, otherwise we need to just live with the mess).
I'm sorry but I have to disagree. You can't make a point on how goood old developers are based on young people following trends whatever that means. You started coding at 50 years old, at this time and age, someone who has 0 prior contact with technology and break into the industry at that age is almost impossible, not only that but programming requires dedication and passion, lots of years of going against a tide something that older people are already way too tired too. You have to continue learning on your own, build projects, learn not 1 or 2 languages but two handfuls of them especially low level and read actual read books in a consistent matter, and put in implementation without losing passion. A lot of old people have their own way and don't change even when the young guy has more reason. You can't put every young programmer in a group and say, "you suck, I'm older and wiser and you stupid and wreckless". If you wanted to bash young programmers and prop up your age that wasn't way to go mate. It starts to sound like a cliche almost to hear that from older folks.
@@ricardomartinhodacruz I think you missunderstood me -- I am coding since 1976, I started coding almost 50 years ago!
I'm 77 and still coding a little. I started in 1966 with machine language, assembly, and FORTRAN on an IBM 1620. I worked off and on developing engineering software to solve radiation shielding and dosimetry problems as well as buildup and decay of radioisotopes in nuclear reactor fuel. I am revising some of the software I developed over 30 years ago to estimate radiation dose to human phantom models.
@JeffRyman69 Thanks for watching! Machine language in '66-that's a whole different world! Nice, Fortran. I remember taking a Fortran class in '93 that quickly became a C/C++ class. I always found half-life equations interesting, especially their application to radioactive decay. It's amazing how much has changed. For me, the biggest surprise has been the explosion of readily available information. Back then, it was all about library searches (Dewey Decimal system, anyone?), but I was lucky enough to have access to a college library with a VAX/VMS catalog system. What's been the most surprising change for you?
@@TonyTheAntonio The most surprising change to me is the lack of software development in Fortran these days. The language keeps adding new modern features (there is a 2023 standard) but few seem to learn it even though it outperforms most other languages for numerical calculation. And please, I'm not trying to start a flame war over the "best" language.
Although not as surprising, the most noticeable change for me is the speed available on my PCs compared to the old mainframes. In the late 1970s and 1980s I would run Monte Carlo estimates of radiation dose in human organs with 60,000 histories on an IBM 360 mainframe. I don't remember how long the runs took but we couldn't run a lot more because of cost. Now, my "old" PC (i9-10850K CPU) can run more than 400 million histories per hour.
I was a linux admin for some years (in my 40ies) and managed to be hired as a junior C++ developer at age 49. Now I am 51.
Hi @georgiosdoumas2446,
That’s awesome! It’s great to see that age didn’t stop you from making the switch to C++. Kudos for landing that junior developer role!
I totally feel like C/C++ is not going away. It's the de facto native performance solution and can be modularized for a specific interpreted language or JVMs. In my chip design engineering days, I wrote the Python C++ wrapper to load a native, vendor-specific CPU or memory library module written in C++ into Python. Python was selected in our group because of its scripting nature. This allowed us to quickly iterate and optimize the layout of a chip, reducing the number of cells necessary in the fabrication process. At the time, the cells were just transitioning from microns to nanometers. This was back in 1999 and beyond, when Sun SPARCstations were top-tier!
I subscribed to your channel since I love *nix ❤️. What’s been the most challenging part of the transition for you from Linux admin to C++ development?
@@TonyTheAntonio One difficult thing was to find good C++ books. Many books exist for C++ but not all worth reading. And also some good books are to be read after you have reached a level of maturity/knowledge. In Linux it was easier to find good books.
@@georgiosdoumas2446 Curious what was the best book you found? Also, you look great for 51 man.
66 Now, retired at 56 and was a developer my entire career. It's ALL I ever wanted, paid to do my hobby. ASM, C, C++ Java some web but preferred the back end. Wrote a low level operating system back in the day. Loved the ride. First job I ever had, still used 'core' memory. Life goes so fast, it seems to be gone in a blink!
@csadler This is great! I totally share the same aspiration of getting paid to do my hobby - it’s the dream, right? 😄 And I completely agree, life does go so fast. Time really flies when you’re doing something you love. My favorite memory with C++ was working on an IEEE modular spec that allowed loading a native library on the fly in Python. This module (whether it's a memory or CPU spec implementation) could be used to prototype or apply static timing analysis on an ASIC chip. This was back in the 2000s. What was your favorite project to work on during your career? Would love to hear more about your experiences! Thanks for sharing!
Ah yes, core memory. My first job was working at Sperry Univac. Booting up a test station, with 8k of memory, using paper tape which then loaded the test software off of a 5mb CDC Hawk drive.
I"m 65. Just got laid off, after 19 years, from a job I thought I'd be retiring from (at 66 yrs & 10 mos, i.e. FRA). Been a full-time programmer since '81. Started as an OS programmer on the Motorola 68000. Those were the days.
What do you get up to now in life?
Hi @awlthatwoodcrafts8911, wow, your story is incredible-talk about core memory! Booting up with paper tape and working with 8k of memory is something most of us can only imagine. It’s amazing to hear about your journey from OS programming on the Motorola 68000 to being a full-time programmer since '81. Funny enough, the Motorola 68000 was what I learned on at the University of Minnesota back in '95-'97. I totally loved that class and working with assembly language for the first time-it gave me such an appreciation for how software and hardware connect, something I still think about when tinkering with Raspberry Pis.
I’m really sorry to hear about your job loss after 19 years, especially so close to retirement-that must be a tough transition. How are you navigating things now? What’s your perspective on the current job market for seasoned programmers? Thanks for sharing your story-it’s truly inspiring!
@@TonyTheAntonio thanks. My first exposure to programming was doing machine coding on the Sperry mini computers. It was a 2-week phase of a year long technician's course. They taught us Ohm's Law, transistor theory and all about how the Sperry computer worked. At the end, we were all technicians working in either the component testing (boards and power supplies) or systems test.
My first exposure to assembly language was actually for the Western Digital WD16 chip set. The company I worked for started out with the WD16 and then moved to the 68000. It was a huge upgrade to go from 7 registers on the WD16 to 7 address and 7 data registers on the 68000.
The youngins don't know how good they have it with today's modern languages.
As for my job prospects, I think I'm going to put programming in my past. There's way too much modern stuff that I don't know and I'm not interested in beating my head against wall trying to compete. I'm learning a little Python, which is fun, but I'm done programming professionally. I do some woodworking that I sell on Etsy, and have success with, so a part time job at Home Depot or Lowes is probably where I'll end up and be comfortable, financially.
I’m over 55 and still loving it. I decided many years ago to stay in development and in the detail rather than manage people, instead. It’s totally paid off. The key is to keep learning and be the one in the team who always asks, “why?”.
@russellf That’s awesome! Staying hands-on and keeping that curiosity alive clearly paid off. Asking “why?” and always learning is what keeps dev work exciting. I’ve had plenty of chances to move into management but turned them down. Every time, I think of Captain James T. Kirk: “Don’t ever let them promote you. Don’t let them take you off the bridge of that ship, because while you’re there, you can make a difference.” Thanks for sharing your experience and supporting my channel!
I'm over 60 and still a contract software developer. With the income and flexibility of this role, I have launched side hustles and business ideas. It's a great platform to do a lot of different things from.
That’s awesome, @glenthegoalsguy! Over 60, still crushing it as a contract dev, and launching side hustles? That’s seriously impressive.
I totally agree about the flexibility. I spent a few years as a contractor myself, and I loved being able to take vacations and actually relax between projects. All that talk about FTEs being more secure? Honestly, it’s a myth - especially here in the U.S., and definitely in WA State, where employers can let you go anytime, for any reason.
Kudos to you for exploring new business ideas. Who says you can’t debug code by day and build your empire by night? Keep showing us how it’s done! Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.
Do you work remote or on site? I am looking to go fully remote
Yes, it's my way, too. And with 64, i won't retire.
I am an employed DEV at 60. Idiocy (I mean ageism) is rampant. A recruiter recently got back to me saying they are looking for a junior dev (frankly, I would have happily taken the job, and stayed), but what made it clear it was agism, was that the requirements were still 8-12 years with Java. Okay, so I have almost 30 years of experience with Java.
But definitely 8-12, with the latest versions of Java, as my last company routinely upgraded, and made use of the latest java capabilities. I was required to learn it and use it.
Clearly, ageism, but what can you do? Thankfully I am employed. And I will tell you, I still have a very flexible mind. Hey, I learned to play violin at 55, and I am still married (joke). Most of what we do in DEV is compose, and composition is something I have mastered, everything else is memorization and testing. So, If you can memorize new syntax, if you can memorize new classes, keywords, and capabilities, so long as your compositional circuit is going. You can DEV forever.
Being young or old cannot be the issue. If it is, then you are making big mistake.
BTW, being in tech these last 30 years, and having to replatform myself every 2-3 years (i.e. Learn a new language, package, or some other system), you'd think people would understand. Here is a guy, who can replatform himself every few years, and he hasn't burnt out, maybe that is just the type of mind we need. Because we are not paying him to lift boxes.
No, some people don't understand that old people are friendly, have a great sense of humor, play sports, play music, dance, and rap.
The one thing is that we might have some medical issues, but hey, that is just a disability that likely doesn't impact performance. But keep in mind, some at age 60 are going to out-live some in their 20's, it's just a fact. My biological brothers and sisters are in their 80's and 90's right now, and you would never have guess that from their cholesterol reports and overweight condition.
Exactly right., @jakeleone8944. Ageism in tech is frustrating, and your story is all too familiar. I’m also a Java dev with 25+ years of experience - it’s what I love, and it’s all I’ve ever done. Anything Java-related, I’m all in. And just like you, I’ve kept up with the latest versions and features because that’s what the job demands.
It’s ridiculous when companies set experience requirements that we easily meet (and then some) but still pass us over because of age. The ability to adapt, learn, and compose solid code doesn’t fade - if anything, it sharpens with time. Your point about replatforming every few years is spot on. That kind of resilience should be exactly what companies value.
And hey, if you can learn the violin at 55 and stay married, you’ve clearly mastered more than just Java! Here’s to showing that age doesn’t define our abilities. We can Java forever. Thanks for taking the time to share and for watching!
so what you're telling me is invest in botox to look young and lie about your age
I am 34, I have worked for 9 years in tech, but at this point I'm already thinking that I'd value my hobbies more than work.
Totally get that. Sometimes, life’s code needs more play and less compile. Finding that balance really is the endgame. Certain life events can make us realize there’s more out there worth exploring. For me, it was the passing of my eldest brother. It reminded me how short life is and pushed me to adopt an ‘experience it while I’m still alive’ mindset. Thanks for watching!
Same here!
Your eyes have been opened to the truth about tech hell.
hobbies are the best!
Do hobbies pay bills
I'm 65, an embedded systems engineer, self-employed since 1995. I design electronics and write firmware and l love my work. I get called and e-mailed by recruiters every single week. At least here in Europe, embedded systems developers can find work until they are 100.
I love rpi's, especially the new ones with more memory on them. I run ubuntu servers on them. I was also playing around with the IO's just to see how easy it was to code with python. I actually had the prototype breadboard hooked up. Ialso have my rpi's named after the hobbit dwarves names :-) and have it configured on a stack like a server. ha ha. Fun times.
I interned at Honeywell in '96 in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and they had me jump on a microcontroller project with one of the HVACs model they were working on. It was a good exposure on how the entire process, from code to eeprom, was done. I learned a lot especial with RTOS. Code was in C.
I actually don't mind embedded work like what you are doing...sounds like a dream job for me too. We did a little bit in college with the motorolla CPUs in assembly language. Also, when I was at IBM, our ASIC group actually had thought about how easy it would be to write a chip optimized for java bytecode and this was in '98. Technology is amazing. Thanks for sharing.
@@TonyTheAntonio RPi is quite nice indeed! Very cool that you used it to control a prototype board 👍🙂 As I understand it, these days most young people interested in IT choose web development and AI rather than programming close to the hardware. Over here significant staffing problems are expected, especially in hardcore STEM, when my generation retires.
@@Onwrikbaar What programming languages would you recommend close to the hardware? Where are you based? I am also in Europe.
@@haarew8336 I almost exclusively work in C, and occasionally C++ when a client prefers it. I hear Rust is also suitable for real-time / embedded applications, but I have no experience with it.
I'm in the Netherlands. You?
Turning 60 this year. Have been coding for 45 years and I'm getting better at it every day.
Hi @maswinkels, that’s incredible-45 years of coding and still getting better every day is very inspiring! It’s amazing how passion and dedication can keep you improving over such a long career. What’s been the biggest lesson or change you’ve experienced in all those years of coding? Thanks for sharing your story!
54! 25 years of the grind. It has been 6 months since I last worked. No Interviews, no interest. 25 years of top-notch software development and consultancy in C#. 20+ years of leading teams and stakeholder management. Why do I seem to have become unemployable? The only way forward is to do my own thing. I will take a consultancy job if it arises. So right now, I am working on a game. I still have bills to pay with a 12-year mortgage, and kids in school and college.
I'm also a 54 year old C# developer. It took me a long time to get this job and I don't know what to do if... no, WHEN I lose it. My health is falling apart and am frequently tired - too young to retire and too old to work. I wish I could give you some good advice, but I'm still trying to figure it out myself. Best of luck to you.
Hi @LinesSoftwareDevelopment, thank you for sharing your story-it really highlights the challenges experienced professionals can face in today’s job market. It’s inspiring to see how you’ve adapted to this situation by channeling your skills into creating a game while staying open to consultancy roles.
The only thing I can share that’s somewhat relatable is my experience developing a World of Warcraft addon, which was totally voluntary. It has over 108K downloads now, even though I stopped playing the game over a year ago-and it still works, with people actively using it. I absolutely loved making that addon, even without any money coming in. Gaming has always been a passion for me.
If the financial pressure weren’t there, would you still choose this path of game development? Wishing you great success with your project and hoping the right opportunity comes along soon!
I'm a 61 years old full stack developer, working in a printing company. I started programming seriously in 1985 and have been making a living of it since 1999. I love my job so much that I hope to never retire. Giving my co-workers and our clients better applications and new features is a never ending source of satisfaction.
Hi @mparento, your story is so inspiring! It’s amazing that after decades in the industry, you still have such passion for your work and find so much satisfaction in helping co-workers and clients with better applications and features. Loving your job so much that you hope to never retire is a true testament to your dedication. It sounds like you’re working in a great place! What do you think has been the key to maintaining your enthusiasm all these years? Thanks for sharing your journey!
No. I'm 55 and work in game development, I've never been more sharp or more valuable. Keep putting the effort in, never lose your curiosity and work towards continuous improvement. Besides, who the hell can afford to retire at 50 anyway?
You know time flies when you're having fun at work-and it sounds like you’ve got that nailed! Staying sharp, staying curious, and continuously improving is what keeps this field exciting. And you’re right, retiring at 50 feels more like a fantasy for most of us. But if you love what you do and you’re always growing, why stop? Thanks for sharing your perspective-it’s a great reminder that passion and effort make all the difference! Thanks for sharing!
I'm 52, started with BASIC and then machine code on the ZX Spectrum, still going very, very strong!
That’s awesome! From ZX Spectrum to today-you’re proof that real developers just keep evolving. I wouldn’t have been surprised if you mentioned Tandy. Remember those? Not even sure if they made it to your area back then. My brother was all about Commodore, though-he spent hours messing around with BASIC on that thing. I was mainly hogging the Apple IIe's or IBM PC's at our high school back then learning BASIC. Those were the days. Thanks for watching!
The older you get the bigger picture you see, the more fun you have programming and the faster you spot problems
Absolutely, @airaction6423! It’s like the older you get, the more you unlock “developer wisdom mode.” Suddenly, you’re spotting issues before they happen, connecting dots others don’t see, and somehow having more fun coding than ever. It’s like leveling up your dev skills and your ability to laugh at the chaos.
I used to work with this young guy who bought 5-hour energy drinks by the case. I mean, who does that? It’s like he was trying to brute-force his way to experience with caffeine alone. Meanwhile, us seasoned devs are over here calmly sipping coffee, letting our debugging radar do the work. Age doesn’t slow you down - it just makes you sharper. Thank you for supporting the channel.
The youngsters don't have the experience to read the manual - which in fairness is unlikely to be there nowadays.
Energy drinks have less caffeine than EU coffee - not so sure about US coffee. At Sybase they sometimes put 2 whole beans in the pot!
I’m 55 and I write code every day; however, mostly I end up mentoring and solving other’s problems. I know every programming language, every database, every architecture paradigm, and when, where and why one should be used over another. I learn new things each day. Last night, for instance, I was working on adding functionality to a custom dependency injector, and realized I should add the ability to inject a specify TPL partition (via a generic specifier) depending on whether the collection I am dealing with is a IList or IEnumerable. Custom TPL partitiions are no joke, and besides Steven Taub at MS, I’ve never even heard or seen someone speak of them. I couldnt even explain or describe what I did to my team members. They are clueless with regard to low level code, assembler, lower C#, C, etc. I will say they are very energetic, but often that energy spills over and creates issues I have to backtrack and fix afterwards. Young people tend to code before they thing about how their creation will fit into the enterprise core, which is my speciality.
Your depth of knowledge is impressive! Custom TPL partitions are next-level stuff, and it’s rare to find people who can discuss, let alone implement, them. I totally get what you mean about younger devs diving in without considering the big picture-your experience in keeping the enterprise core solid is invaluable.
In my experience, juniors sometimes take a different approach, and everything seems fine at first… until subtle performance issues creep into production, leaving you to untangle a mess of bottlenecks and memory leaks.
I’m in the Java world myself, and while frameworks like the Concurrency Package or Spring Batch make parallel processing easier for juniors, it’s similar to how C#’s TPL simplifies things-but understanding what’s really happening under the hood is another story. The complexities of thread management, resource contention, and synchronization can be overwhelming.
You’re the glue that holds everything together. I’m glad we, as senior devs, are here to guide them!
Nothing will make you feel more like a professional than watching a new developer pull in all the new libraries, gadgets, and techniques. Each week watching them use their youthful energy to grind away 60 or 70 hours to create an amazing piece of software. Then after a couple years of this you get to deliver the news that the new director has chosen a new stack. All that code, all that work, the thing they brought to life is no longer wanted or needed. Being able to console them in these situations, motivating them to start learning the new tools, start building the new thing, and get them back on that 60 to 70 hour treadmill takes experience. And always make sure they are the one who has to push the button and wipe the repo of all the code they wrote as a form of tough Love.
And let’s not forget the real rite of passage: dealing with Maven library conflicts. Nothing says 'professional developer' quite like spending hours untangling dependencies, only to realize you’ve summoned an ancient, incompatible version of a library. By the time it works, you’re not even sure how it works - just that you’re too scared to touch it again. Tough love might be wiping the repo, but real trauma is wiping out your dependency tree 😂. Thanks for sharing!
@@TonyTheAntonioLOL, that hit home right away. Thank you for the useful and insightful video.
@@TonyTheAntonioI have been a professional developer for over 40 years and my greatest achievement is successfully avoiding all things Java!
Hi @ian-nz-2000,
This is fascinating-I’ve been in the Java world for what feels like forever! I’d love to hear more about the path you took instead of Java. What made you decide to avoid it, and how did that influence your approach as a developer? I think your perspective would be really valuable for others to learn from. Thank you for sharing!
Hi @baobabminer5364,
I’m so glad the video resonated with you-comments like yours always make my day! Thank you for the kind words. Was there a specific part that stood out to you the most? Thank you for watching!
The RUclips algorithm has a sense of humour.
I'm just getting back into software development after a 20 year break and just 2 weeks from my 60th birthday.
Having a blast laughing at the pretentious videos by the "I've learned to code in the last 5 minutes and now I'm going to teach you everything" crowds.
My first professional application was about 43 years ago (dBase II on CP/M and it ran live without upgrades for over a decade).
I'm not going to compete on anyone else's terms or play the same games. Instead I'm enjoying the change of some part-time projects of my choosing.
Fuck yeah! Anyone that says they know at what arbitrary age someone should stop doing whatever, is just making that shit up as they go. Living on your own terms is the only right way.
Hey Dave, the RUclips algorithm strikes again! Welcome back to the world of dev - and happy (almost) 60th birthday. It’s great to hear you’re getting back into coding on your own terms and actually enjoying it. The part-time, passion-project approach sounds ideal: coding for the joy of it without the pain of being on pager duty. Sometimes I do that too like coding addons for World of Warcraft with Lua or maybe Python coding with a raspberry pi device. It's definitely fun trying new things on one's own term.
And dBase II on CP/M? That’s some serious history! The fact that it ran live for over a decade is wild. No flashy frameworks, just rock-solid results.
I’m on my fourth year of a career break myself, and honestly, the urge to go back hasn’t hit yet. When I look at those similar videos the 'learn to code in 5 minutes'. My reaction is like, Uh oh, I'm out of a job...not!
Keep having fun and coding the way you want to. Thanks for watching!
@@leebee1102 Right on! Thanks for watching.
people should talk more about how 20 is too young to be a (serious) software developer
Interesting point! Sometimes experience takes time - sometimes it just takes grit. I might explore that in a future video. For context, I joined the U.S. Army at 17 and served for 3 years, so I graduated college at 25. Even then, I felt pretty clueless at my first job. Programming is fascinating, but figuring out how it applies to the real world - with so many different uses - can be overwhelming. Thanks for watching!
How can it even be possible? At 20 people are not even yet out of the university.
@vitalyl1327 there's self eductated people and/or those straight out of high school. But college educated juniors arent that much older.
@LCTesla those who hire self-"educated" developers deserve all the consequences, it's not even funny.
@@vitalyl1327 I was doing assembly at 9 in the 8-bit days. University usually teaches people how to do things the wrong way.
I'm 54 and I also started a RUclips channel. :) I still do have a full time job as a developer though. Ageism definitely exists and I've been fortunate to navigate around it to where I am. Y'all should cross over to the boring enterprise software. 40 is young in our world and young folks all want to work with flashy new stuff. Don't let anyone on this secret! :) Cheers!
That’s awesome, @jelenaperfiljeva4998! Starting a RUclips channel while holding down a full-time dev job at 54? That’s some serious multitasking. And you’re right - enterprise software is the tech world’s best-kept secret. All the young devs are out there chasing the flashy frameworks while we’re quietly building the boring stuff that actually runs the world.
Funny you mentioned enterprise software, because that’s where I spent the last five years of my career before taking a break in 2021. Whenever new devs joined my team, they all wanted to do the façade work - and I let them, since they seemed to have fun with it. Then, I quietly took care of the backend work. I can totally relate - back in the late ‘90s, UI work fascinated me too. I started with TCL/TK around 1998 and eventually moved to Java Swing in the early 2000s.
Cheers to navigating ageism, keeping code stable and scalable, and protecting the secret of stable jobs and fewer all-nighters. Keep crushing it with your channel and your career!
I'm turning 55 this year and I am learning to become a ServiceNow developer. Also learning Javascript & SQL. The only good thing about this tech niche is that ageism is not the biggest issue.
I'm way past 50, and it's definitely not too old. Every day brings fresh challenges. I'm constantly trying to leverage what I do know, but also looking at new language features and techniques to solve the challenges. That keeps it fresh and fun. However, being a seasoned developer also lets you know when you've gone too far trying to do something new when not getting results. Sometimes you have to drop back and go with what you already know to get things done well and on time.
Absolutely agree, @laurenceotoole1700. Being past 50 is far from being too old in this field. The combination of fresh challenges and the wisdom to know when to stick with tried-and-true solutions is such a valuable skill. It’s like having a built-in radar for when new tech is worth the effort - and when it’s just a shiny distraction.
Keeping that balance between learning new things, leveraging experience and having an insight is what makes this career both fun and sustainable. Keep enjoying the ride and proving that seasoned devs still have plenty of game.
One thing I really appreciate as a 52-year-old in this industry is seeing all these new language features come out-like arrow functions, for example. We can fully appreciate them because we remember the old syntax. Those were some wild times! 🙂
I'm 53. I started my career as developer, than got into management and 4 years ago returned to software development. Why? Because I love the craft.
Hi @SnowDrift-bh7wb, that’s so inspiring! It’s amazing that after moving into management, you chose to return to software development because of your love for the craft. It’s clear your passion for the craft keeps you energized and fulfilled, which reminds me of a famous line from Star Trek: Generations. Captain Kirk said, 'Don’t let them promote you. Don’t let them transfer you. Don’t let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship, because while you’re there... you can make a difference.' Your decision to get back into development feels like that same drive to stay where you thrive most. What’s been the most rewarding part of getting back into development? Thanks for sharing your story!
Nice video. I’m not 50 but getting there. I pivoted from dev work years ago and jumped into Enterprise Architecture.
Starting a coding career at 50 can be challenging because learning to code takes time and dedication. However, if your goal is to learn coding to build your own apps or solve specific problems, it's absolutely worth it. On the other hand, if your purpose is to shift into coding as a standalone career, it might not be the best path to take, as it can take years to master and establish yourself in the industry.
I’m 48 and started with no-code tools three years ago when ChatGPT came out. I’ve always believed AI would be transformative, just like the internet boom of the 90s, and I wanted to be part of it. So, I shifted from a real engineering career to software development to create solutions for problems I encountered in my jobsite. For anyone considering coding at 50, it’s never too late if your goal is to use it as a tool to bring your ideas to life.
Hi @rickitekgaaso2927, your story really hits home for me! I also made the switch from engineering (EE) to coding, though I had a bit of a head start with scientific-based apps for the Microprocessor/ASIC industry. For me, I spent so many late nights diving into enterprise computing, databases, and just trying to get better at coding-not because I had to, but because I enjoyed it so much I’d lose track of time (and sleep!). Back then, I was in my 30s, so I had a bit more energy to pull those all-nighters, but honestly, I think persistence is way more important than just energy.
My biggest challenge was convincing recruiters in the late '90s that I was ready for the job, even though I didn’t have business app experience. After a lot of interviews, someone finally gave me a break, and that’s how my career took off. I think viewers will find your story really inspiring-it’s such a great example of sticking with it and following your passion. Thanks for sharing!
I am a software engineer and a mom of two, one of whom is nonverbal autistic. I am turning 40 this year. I have been doing all sorts of platform-level engineering. This year, I am switching gears to go into the cloud and get more flexibility for my new decade while raising my children.
When I started in the late 80s, 35 was considered over the hill. My current company has a wide spread of ages from just out of college upto collecting the pension next year. The youngster in my team has just turned 50.
Hey @steve-wright-uk, it’s great to hear about a company that truly values experience. A 50-year-old being the “youngster” on the team? That speaks volumes! Thank you for watching!
I mostly identify with your perspectives. Priorities do change as you edge into 50, especially after you have gone through all the coding/debugging drama. There come a time you wanna let the newbies run with the show as you take up a more mature leadership role, shifting attention to personal projects and family. you become more reflective, and personally I feel like I need to go loose on wings, traverse the world, publish more, get a RUclips channel more active with my reflections and predictions, spend more time with family, and generally engage in activities that keep me happier and more impactful.
Hi @chrisogonas, your comment really resonates with me-it’s so true how priorities evolve over time. I love your vision of stepping into leadership, focusing on personal projects, and spending more time with family. Engaging in activities that bring happiness and impact, like traveling and sharing reflections on a RUclips channel, sounds incredibly fulfilling. I find travel fulfilling myself, so I can totally relate to that part.
I’ve noticed some of my colleagues have also transitioned into leadership roles and found it very rewarding. I think I mentioned in one of my videos that tech really has a niche for everyone-it’s all about finding what brings you the most satisfaction. What advice would you give to others who are considering a similar path? Wishing you all the best on this inspiring journey!
I work in a start up that grows fast. most of the developers are 40+ and 50+. Working here is amazing and the genAI is ground braking.
Hi @NatashaAblogin, that sounds like such an exciting environment to be a part of! It’s amazing to hear about a fast-growing startup with a team of experienced developers. GenAI truly is groundbreaking-it seems like it’s transforming workflows and empowering teams in new ways.
Not knowing more about your team dynamics, I’d imagine GenAI not only changes how tasks are completed but also opens up exciting possibilities for experienced developers to innovate and amplify their impact. How has it influenced the way your team approaches development? Thanks for sharing your experience!
I’m 64 and retired two years ago as a DE after a 40 year software development career. Did some of my best work after age 50 including double-digit US and international patents for distributed data infrastructure. Worked many 7-day work weeks. At age 60, spent two weeks straight (across weekends) diagnosing and fixing a distributed multiprocess random memory corruption bug.
Love your honesty here! Invest early and often! Workout consistently. Have a major passion/hobby outside of tech. That’s what kept me in the game so long.
Hi @bbowjazz, your story is absolutely inspiring-40 years in software development, with some of your best work happening after 50, is incredible! Earning double-digit patents, especially considering how tedious and detail-intensive the process can be, truly highlights your dedication and expertise.
And diagnosing and fixing a distributed multiprocess random memory corruption bug at 60? That’s an extraordinary achievement. The complexity of distributed systems, combined with the random nature of the bug, makes this a task that only someone with deep technical skill and persistence could tackle. I’ve never had the liberty to work on such a hair-pulling bug myself, but I can imagine how rewarding it must have been to solve.
How did you keep your sanity while working on this bug 🤣? Thanks for sharing your journey and wisdom!
By my experience, young devs don't skip unit testing at all. In contrary, they all too often use unit tests, where Integration tests or business level end-to-end tests would have been appropriate. And then the code breaks through changes in the environment or library versions.
That does not mean, to neglect unit testing, but use it, where it is appropriate.
life begins at 50. just getting good at this stuff :)
Hi @acarson8794, I love your attitude-life really does begin at 50! It’s awesome to hear that you’re just hitting your stride and feeling great about your skills. I’ve been exploring new skills myself and have been wanting to learn Rust. What’s your favorite programming or scripting language so far? Thanks for sharing your perspective!
I'm nearing 50, but the only time I've had to work 60 hours a week was in a startup in early 2000. Been working on database driven web software since then, 37.5 hours a week. Very good salary, not feeling stressed out a bit. Many coders in my current company are over 50, and I've seen people retire from tech jobs too.
Hi @yorkaturr, thanks for sharing your experience-it really sounds like an amazing place to work! Finding a balance with 37.5 hours a week, a great salary, and low stress is what so many people strive for. It’s also inspiring to hear that your company values experienced coders, with many over 50 and even retiring from tech roles. What do you think has been the key to building such a stable and fulfilling career in tech? Thanks again for sharing-it’s really motivating for others on this path!
I’m 64 and in my 50th year 🎉 of writing software. Still enjoy it! Coded in over 60 languages in commercial and research projects.
Having just turned 50, I first hated this video. Don’t put me in a box. But you won me over. You rock. Keep it up
Hi @mdemst, thank you for sticking with the video-I’m glad it won you over in the end! Turning 50 is a big milestone, and it’s awesome that you’re embracing it on your own terms. I really appreciate your support and kind words. What resonated with you the most by the end? And right back at ya-you rock too! Thanks for watching!
I’m so glad to find this channel 👏. I see lots of comments here from experienced programmers. I’m over 40 years old age and no coding experience. Can someone help out with some insights about which area is better to go, web development or mobile development? I’m even thinking about cyber security 🧐. It’s hard to pick because all this hypes about AI going on.
I would appreciate any insights, either positives or negatives.
Thanks everyone 👏
I started working in IT in my early 20's. I burned out before my 40's. I could pause for a couple of years, recovered a bit and then I run out of cash and I had to work a few more years in the field to pay the bills: only, this time, for one fifth of the salary I was earning before the first burn out and with a lot more pressure and responsibilities and no support team. Then, on the verge of the second burn out, I was fired because they decided to outsource. I will be 50 next year and I am so profoundly disgusted about the industry as a whole.
I got laid off at 35 (after 15 years experience), and couldn't find another job. I'm now a school bus driver.
Hey @joe-skeen, that sounds incredibly tough, and I can’t imagine how frustrating that must have been. Sometimes, we do what we have to do to pay the bills, and honestly, driving a school bus is meaningful work. You’re making a difference every day. Do you see yourself getting back into tech at some point? Either way, thanks for sharing your story-it really puts things in perspective.
@TonyTheAntonio we'll see how things go. For now, tech is still part of my life. I've been able to use my talents to help with tech-related things at the bus garage. And I still have consulting on the side, even if it's not enough to pay the bills.
Hi @joe-skeen,
It’s great that you’re still staying connected to tech, even with your current role. Thanks for sharing.
Experience matters. I agree. I love software development and intend to do it till the end of my life.
Absolutely! Passion and experience are a winning combo. Thanks for watching!
@ with the arrival of the AI software copilots like Cursor, the human natural language would be the programming language. Software developers’ real job is problem solving. The language is just a tool.
Hi @Krn7777w,
You make a great point! If AI copilots like Cursor can simplify coding, it would certainly free developers to focus more on solving the actual problems. In that sense, the language would just become a means to an end, allowing us to spend more time thinking creatively and strategically.
Do you think this shift could lead to a new kind of developer role, focused more on designing solutions than coding them? Would love to hear your thoughts!
@ yes, a role where the logical thinking and problem solving would be more important than the programming languages. The knowledge of how production level software was developed traditionally would be great to have as it would help the programmers to create appropriate prompts in human languages.
I only started four years ago as a FEE and I'm 41. I hope to get into VP/Director in the next 2-3 years. With AI, I'm not sure what an org's structure with engineers will look like.
I'm 65. Still like puzzling through a coredump. Why retire?
51 and began applying for dev jobs 1.5 years ago. It's tough to watch a video like this and find hope considering the job market and agism.
I hear you, @Makebuildmodify. The job market and ageism are real challenges, and it’s hard not to feel discouraged sometimes.
It made me sad in the few months before I took a break in 2021. The company was ramping up hiring, and I was interviewing a lot of entry-level devs. Some of those devs ended up working under the pod I was leading. As fun and rewarding as it was to work with these new talents, it suddenly hit me - I was ramping up my replacements. That realization stung.
But here’s the thing: experience matters. The wisdom, pragmatism, and battle-tested skills we bring to the table can’t be replaced that easily. Companies may not always see it right away, but the value we offer goes beyond knowing the latest framework or trend. Hang in there - your skills and experience are worth more than the job market sometimes lets on. Thanks for watching!
The constant need to learn new things in this industry, often making previous accomplishments feel irrelevant, can be really disheartening and make people feel undervalued.
I totally get what you mean, @__thytran. The constant need to stay on top of new technologies can definitely be overwhelming, and sometimes it feels like everything you’ve already learned doesn’t matter anymore. My experience with Java was that there were so many great new things being introduced, like more efficient syntax, but actually implementing those changes in code was a challenge because more than half the team wasn’t keeping up with the changes… It felt like trying to upgrade a car engine while still driving it on the road!
But I really like what @obiwankenobe3962 mentioned about not having to constantly keep up with every change, especially in slower-moving languages like C++. It’s reassuring to know that you can focus on mastering what’s important without getting lost in the race to learn the latest thing.
I’d love to hear how you’ve been managing the constant changes. Have you found any methods or strategies that help balance staying current with avoiding burnout?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, it’s a tough balance to strike in this fast-paced industry!
I've been developing in C++ on Windows for almost 30 years, but didn't get into it professionally until around 2000. Computing had been a hobby since the late 70s. Assembly languages, C, C++ mainly. I've now retired and it's back to being a hobby. I just couldn't keep up with rapid change and the need to re-skill in the industry. I love C++ and didn't want to invest heavily into retraining into new languages and tools at my age (mid 60s), especially ones I didn't like. I simply didn't enjoy, nor did I have the passion for the way our company was heading. I'm not interested in re-employment right now, but even if I was, I doubt anyone would employ me.
Well said Tony. I am an old school guy as well approaching 50 and I have been thinking about these things as well.
@kinsondigital Thanks for watching! I started getting paranoid when my company had massive pre-pandemic layoffs. I survived, but it felt almost worse when they then hired 4-6 new grads during the pandemic and had me lead their ramp-up. It felt like I was just being used to train my potential replacements. It definitely created a sense of uncertainty. Have you ever felt like your role was being used in a similar way during times of change?
@@TonyTheAntonio Indeed. Since the pandemic I have moved to another country and completely changed direction. I do consulting now, and I work for myself and I am pursing my own projects. My wife also lost her job during pandemic. But we are doing great now!
@kinsondigital I have some interest in doing the same, working on another country, but In not sure how to go about it. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad to hear you both are doing well. Cheers.
21+ years dev here. Amazing job with the videos, I can confirm all that you say. Have a great day Tony!
Thanks so much for the kind words! 21 years in dev is seriously impressive. Glad the video resonated with you, and I really appreciate you watching!
I'm retired now, but I swapped from software dev to tech writer at 48 and wound up wondering why I hadn't done it sooner. What drove me to change was (a) burnout, after years of crazy hours and never ending demands, (b) awareness of looming ageism, and (b) aging parents that I wanted to have the flexibility to care for. As a writer of documentation for system (backend) devs such as I had been, my stress was much lower, there was less whiplash, and I genuinely loved what I was doing. It was like just the fun bits of being a dev. I'm not sorry I was a dev, but I am so very glad it bootstrapped me into becoming a writer.
Hi @mosselyn5081,
Thank you for sharing your experience! It's amazing how you turned a challenging situation into an opportunity for a fulfilling career change. Your story highlights the importance of recognizing when it’s time to prioritize balance and pursue what brings joy. I actually love technical writing as well. Do you have any tips for others in tech considering a similar transition?
Thank you for watching!
@@TonyTheAntonio The two tips I usually give transitioning devs are to get training and be humble. You may think you know how to write technical documentation after years of func specs and the like, but you would be wrong about that. Technical writing is its own art, just like coding. Also, as a writer, you're no longer the SME (Subject Matter Expert); respect your SMEs' time and in-depth knowledge. You're not the big dog now!
Hi @@mosselyn5081 ,
These are fantastic tips-thank you for sharing! It’s so true that technical writing is its own art, and approaching it with humility and a willingness to learn makes all the difference. I really like your point about respecting SMEs; building that relationship is so important for creating great documentation. Thank you for sharing your insights!
We need experienced senior dev for when everything goes wrong.. thats for sure. They swoop down like batman and solve it. But now I'm going out as a lone gun.. working alone. I am worried about that.
Software dev/ web dev is the only job Ive ever done where I actually want to stay behind.
Spot on man! I'm 52, left my career a few years ago to become a carer for my missus and all my time is my own to develop what I like. I started learning when I was 9.
That’s awesome, Carl! Being able to take control of your time and develop what you love sounds like the dream. Starting at 9? That’s decades of experience right there! It just goes to show that passion for coding doesn’t fade with age. Thanks for watching!
Well, I am not a sw dev; 47 yrs old. I was a technical engineer on one of Oracle's software suites. After 12 years I was laid off (also the company was bought by a very large American/Indian company). Then it went down in a spiral, 5 years I did not work.
Started as a driver in a van to distribute boxes of food. These were years of hard work, but one of the best in terms of fulfilling, seeing other things from my country etc. It showed you can start again, if you set your mind to it.
I also find out I have a form of ASS and ADD.
Then I started as a software manager/maintainer of a lesser known suite. I restarted in sw again, without any hassles. The only thing it has a more closed environment, documentation lacks, some tooling only available to consultants. It is something I am not familiar with, but I went along.
In any way, life takes you along paths, you never thought of. Jobs, private life. You have to pick yourself up, if possible.
Limited documentation and restricted tooling? That’s like following directions that lead you straight into a brick wall. But you adapted anyway-proof that sometimes you just have to break through the obstacles and keep going. Here’s a story I can relate to: an entire team got fired, and we inherited all their code and its maintenance. And let me tell you, the code was the documentation. Talk about a headache. Thanks for sharing!
I did a CompSci degree 1977-81. I am still working as a software developer and will probably keep at it for a few more years. I like what I do and I enjoy my time off but without something to do during the winter months I think I would be bored stupid.
@MurrayMcDonald4361 That's awesome! I'm on the same boat. For me, sometimes being bored can spark new ideas or projects, though I totally get what you mean about needing something to do. Otherwise, I just hop on an MMORPG game online, which can be a time sink for me as well. I love working with Raspberry Pi's-it's a fun way to stay sharp and explore new things. Do you have any other hobbies or projects that keep you busy during the off-season? Always cool to hear what others are up to! Thank you for sharing.
Retired SW Engr (69), quit a couple years ago. The key is being able to sell yourself and to come across as having a young, open mind, in a non-decrepit body. I did projects on the side (unpaid, for myself) that demonstrated I could learn new things. I built a website with me narrating my work - one boss was impressed that I didn't use ums or uhs in my narration. Having a large repertoire of varied projects helps headhunters find slots for you. All that said, I hate what software dev has become today: can't stand open offices (noise), and too many mediocre managers view Agile as a religion. I was lucky when COVID hit, and was able to work at home for 18 months. I quit shortly thereafter and never looked back. The reality is: My younger self could run rings around my current self. Experience helps - more at the project level - but most managers are looking for speed and ability to fit in on a team. Kids simply do not have the same interests as older people, and I got bored being around them - which doesn't help the team.
Hi @kirkevans4544, thanks for sharing! I've had similar experiences with generational differences, although it's always great to find those younger folks who are on the same wavelength. Open office noise is a huge pet peeve. It's awesome you retired and never looked back--that's the dream! I'm really trying to aim for this...style trying to figure it all out. Also, it's tough to shake the "ums" and "uhs" too - I'm definitely guilty of that.
I'm 52 sw developer. the last project I worked, I did the backend part and a junior dev, the front. The project had a considerable scope and we had 5 months to have it in production. In summary, no time to fancy stuff. Feature after feature, the requirements demanded a lot of integration with external APIs, no time for unit testing at all. What I see in younger devs is some lacking of pragmatism. They need to achieve the state of art, apply every technique available, CC, CA, TDD, DDD, etc all hot trends but they don't take in account the limited time and customer preferences. They treat the project like their shining toy and put ego above everything. I had hard time trying to work along some of those guys, they need to shine at all costs and they are really competitive.
I’ve always been an independent contributor as a software developer, and at the start of each sprint, I usually let the younger devs pick their favorites - and surprise, surprise, they always go for the UI! Somehow, the young ones just love working on the frontend.
[Edit]: "they need to shine at all costs"
This is more likely the reason why 'they' like working on the frontend, but who really knows...
When it comes to unit testing, I think the approach should be decided by the whole team, including project managers and product managers. I’ve never been a fan of strict metrics like “70% test coverage,” but I do believe critical business logic should always be tested. In many cases, those tests double as documentation, which is incredibly valuable. Blindly writing tests for everything, though, can be a costly mistake. Instead, we estimate testing efforts carefully to deliver on time as accurately as possible.
In my view, tests should make the business logic clear enough that you don’t need to track down the person who wrote the code. After all, they might be on vacation or have moved on to another company. When bugs can potentially cost a lot of money, having reliable tests isn’t just nice to have - it’s essential.
And let’s be honest - ego can really suck the life out of a team. I never position myself as the “authority,” but when someone tries to interrupt another dev during a meeting, I always step in with, “Hold on, let them speak, and let’s hear them out.” That kind of inclusiveness fosters teamwork and shows that everyone’s input is valued.
I’ve seen the other side of this too - teams that skip testing and end up constantly fighting fires. It’s chaos, and the whole team, including stakeholders, pays the price. Minimal testing might seem faster, but it often leads to disaster in production. In fact, I can usually tell when code was written without tests just by looking at it... at least in the Java world!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate you.
05:08
Flexibility is the name of the game! The thing that I always appreciate.
I found this inspiring. I'm only 35 but already seen that new wave of talent change things.
Glad you found it inspiring and thank you for watching.
Being a software engineer is 99.9% mental so long as you are sharp the answer is no. Most people remain sharp well into their 70's however there is an age bias. You need to keep up on the latest changes in tech and not remain stagnant.
reaching 50 and no longer want to talking about the newer tool or who’s right but focus on what makes me utilizing my experience in the right moment, direction is way more important than speed.
Well said! At a certain point, it’s less about chasing the latest tools and more about applying experience wisely. After all, knowing where to go is more important than getting there fast. Direction over speed - one can go in the wrong direction super fast as an example. I couldn’t agree more!
Hey Tony, I see this as the socially conditioned job mindset. When I think of benefit you'd provide, I see good things. I'd love to have someone like you involved in our organisation, I see benefit. It's not about a job, it's not about money, moneys just the metric, it's about benefit and trading benefit. You'd bring some pretty decent benefit my friend,,,
Thanks, @lawrencium_Lr103! You’re so right about the socially conditioned job mindset - we get stuck thinking it’s all about the title or the paycheck. But in the end, it’s really about the benefit we bring and the value we exchange. I’ve always believed that when we focus on providing real benefit, the rest takes care of itself. Sounds like you’ve got a great outlook for building a solid team, and I appreciate the kind words. If more people thought like this, work would be a lot more rewarding. Here’s to more ‘trading benefit’ and less ‘chasing metrics’! Thanks for watching!
I'm 55 and I'm still working. Since one year I'm even thrown in the new AI jungle. Definitely not bad for one born with Apple II BASIC and Honeywell COBOL or IBM System/36 with the huge 8" floppies. I'm going to continue up to my 70s. 😂
That’s awesome! From 8” floppies to AI - you’re basically a tech time traveler! I think I recall buying the Flight Simulator (or a similar product) for the IBM PC at target when it was still 8" floppies :-). I can still recall the sound the drive makes when it loads the program. Thanks for watching!
@TonyTheAntonio I guess that you are talking about Sublogic's Flight Simulator. 😅
Yes, probably I'm a bit a time traveler and I still have nostalgy of the coins inserted in analogic pinballs with mechanical score boards or the first Space Invaders.
But I was also so lucky to have studied COBOL in my high school that next to my TTY keyboard+green CRT monitor there was a punched card reader!
And TTY had no backspace, so you had to use the @ character if I remember correctly to go back. E.g. if instead of writing HELLO you wrote HALLO to fix the error you had to write HALLO@@@@ELLO 😳😬😌
Ha ha, yes! Sublogic's Flight Simulator - those were the days! 😅 I totally get that nostalgia. The sound of coins in analog pinball machines and the thrill of Space Invaders are hard to forget.
Your COBOL story brings back memories! My first job at IBM in Rochester, MN, also involved AS/400 manufacturing. They had a card punch and one of those massive early hard drives in a display window for everyone to see.
And that character fix with TTY? Classic! I think I remember seeing these TTY keyboards when I played around with a VAX/VMS at a nearby college.
I took a high school Pascal class in ‘88 but never used it in the industry. Then in college C/C++ came into our lives with an attitude, and later Java took over. Funny how the tech changes, but those memories stick with us. Thanks for sharing.
@@TonyTheAntonio 😅😉😍😍
One ancient system used to say Ahhh when and 8" dis was inserted... the 5" was ohh
At 44, with 3 years of xp, my second career feels totally screwed. I can't get an interview. The jobs I did get had every manager defensive and passive aggressive. I had peers on their first jobs, half as productive, rarely available, who just nodded their heads at every meeting. That seems to be what the bosses valued.
Hi @theAutomaTom,
Thank you for watching! That sounds frustrating, and I can definitely understand how it feels when you're working hard, but the environment doesn’t value your experience or contributions. It’s tough when managers seem more focused on “yes people” rather than those who are genuinely productive.
What worked for me in the past was networking with past colleagues who truly know you best. These are usually the ones I stay in touch with after leaving a company as a W-2 contractor. I keep the ones who share my values about what a good dev environment should look like. I’ve had better luck finding jobs that really fit me through this approach.
On the other hand, have you considered looking for opportunities in smaller companies or startups where your experience might be more valued? I’d love to hear what you think!
In big companies developer positions were outsourced long time ago. Companies looking for engineers who can quickly glue bunch of different systems, test and deploy to the cloud. More free/open source stuff is better. So I would say it's late to be software developer regardless age. Just a bit of a background: 48 years old, started to work as software developer in 1994 (Visual C++)
Hi @henson2k,
Visual C++ was definitely a thing back when I started too!
I get what you’re saying about the trend toward quick-and-dirty solutions. When I was contracting a lot, I actually ran into those “quick-glue-together” in-house type situations. It wasn’t always pretty. In fact, the team was stuck in the “storming” phase and never really got to the “norming” phase. The egos were all over the place, and I even had the luxury of working with a bipolar guy who forgot his meds on more than one occasion - it was a mess! But, honestly, most of my contracting experiences were positive overall.
Not to put you on the spot but: What makes you feel like it's too late to get into software development? Would be great to hear your perspective!
Turning 60 in 3 weeks - I'll be sooooo happy to get off the "Hot New Framework!" merry-go-round. Been there done that dozens of times.
Hi @TheMindverse,
I hear you! The constant chase for the "hot new framework" can definitely get exhausting...and the feeling of 'Damn. Now, I have to refactor because of this new framework feature.' It’s nice to focus on what actually works for the long haul rather than jumping to the next big thing-or constantly keeping up with new features of a framework.
Are there any features or tools you’ve stuck with for the long haul that still keep you productive? I’d love to hear your thoughts! HBD in 3 weeks! 🎂
Thank you for sharing!
No way is 50 too old. Im past that 5:10 and some, if you can deliver projects, as you get older as long as long as you don’t get excessive with pay (but still get paid more than contemporaries), stay technical, you will find you may become the go-to person .
If you are seen as ‘expensive but comparatively a bargain’ and safe pair of hands to bring home projects, you will be in demand at your organisation.
Totally agree-50 (or beyond) is far from “too old” in software development. Delivering projects reliably and staying technical is a huge asset. Companies love that kind of experience, especially when you balance it with reasonable compensation expectations. I’ve seen firsthand how senior devs who are dependable and bring real value become the go-to people, even when others are getting paid more. Being that “safe pair of hands” who consistently gets the job done makes you indispensable. In the end, it’s not about age; it’s about the results you deliver. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
No. I used to work with a 70 year old and he was very good. World class.
I'm 75 and still doing production coding.
Hi @gnarfgnarf4004, you’re an inspiration to us all-75 and still doing production coding is amazing! It’s proof that passion and skill truly have no age limits. What inspires you each morning when you know you’ll be coding all day? Keep up the incredible work!
I’m almost 50. About 10 years as a professional dev. That 10 years has ruined what I used to love to do. 😢.
Hi @jaredtruscott4889,
I’m sorry to hear that your passion has taken such a hit over the years. Would you care to share the details about that 10 years? I could probably relate to some of it.
Thank you for sharing!
@ Thanks for the reply! It’s been awful. I imagine the core issue is that switching careers (from retail management) to web dev at 40 made for a rough transition as I took ANY dev job I could get. Obviously across 10 years the issues became more nuanced, but the catalyst was always the same; I was consistently hired under the impression that I’m being hired for my specialized knowledge and skill-set , only to discover that I was being hired to to just say “OK”, and then go do whatever job I was given, plus the jobs of all the people who were supposed to be helping but weren’t . And when that inevitably failed, it was also my responsibility to shoulder the blame and fix it.
I also became increasingly exhausted with the number of excuses I’d get from supervisors or directors. They became increasingly frustrated with me holding them accountable and expecting them to do their jobs too. You can imagine how fast it went downhill from there.
I suppose I should be pickier about the places I work, but picky eaters are the first to starve, you know what I mean?
Thanks again!
Hi @@jaredtruscott4889
Thank you for sharing your story-it sounds like you’ve faced some incredibly tough situations. Transitioning into a new field is challenging enough, and being undervalued or unsupported makes it even harder. It’s so frustrating when expectations don’t align, and you’re left to handle more than your fair share.
I can totally relate to this. I started out feeling like I was on the right track with my job satisfaction and career goals, but over time, a series of events threw me off course. There were times I felt grateful just to have a job, but there were also days when I questioned whether I was on the right path anymore. It’s a constant battle, and most devs I’ve talked to share that “life is too short” mentality-prioritizing enjoying what they do above all else. When I hit a similar crossroads, I decided to step back, reflect on what I’d learned, and reevaluate where I wanted to go next.
Thank you again for sharing so openly!
If any company is holding to the quite frankly stupid paradigm you're "old" because of a certain age and believes you are not innovative, then they are not worth taking seriously and you should not remain there. Some of the most lazy, unimaginative minds I met were well under 30 who often had a most annoyingly accompanied unjustified arrogance of abilities and capabilities they delusionally thought possessing. In contrast, some of the brightest, innovative and supple minded people I know are well over 60 (and in a few cases 70+!) still in the field and pushing boundaries. The truth is that companies will get more out of younger people but by chiefly exploiting them and their ambitions. By 30, many become jaded and not loyal to any company. This now happens even much earlier than 30 I notice. Company turnover is high and morale is low. It's really a crappy business model with such lower retention and focus on manning positions by getting the lowest common denominator with seemingly attractive startup offers that often never materialize or remain stuck there for years. And this ethos is not just with tech but in general across corporate and academic jobs. Bottom line, if you love your field, remember why you got into it and never let that passion die and stay active by learning and self-improving and never stopping to invest in yourself. You do not own any company, institution, or person anything. It's your life. Stop fearing age and focus best you can on improving and leveraging up and planning good "exit" strategies to the next thing you want in life. This works for anyone and at any age. That all said, I would not want my kids in this field. Its far too hostile and toxic today.
honestly, I think a 40 something and older dev who has been coding for ages can adapt way way way quicker to new tech than a 25 year old fresh dev... or even an older one who changed careers. They have the wired brain to do it... I have seen it first hand. I've seen a 40 year old senior dev just pick up a new framework.. start coding something for a client and they are away. But there's plenty of space in dev for anyone who puts their back into it and is keen.... be they 20 or 50.. or even older.
I'm 61 and I am studying Python, working my math skills and looking forward to making various AI Agents to help others meet their goals.
@paul.mcguinness6075! At 61, diving into Python, sharpening your math skills, and exploring AI agents is seriously inspiring. The fact that you’re looking to use AI to help others meet their goals is the cherry on top. Proof that learning never stops and experience is always valuable.
Python was one of the languages I fell in love with. I still use it occasionally when I need to write more complex scripts for myself. I started out with Perl and Tcl, then picked up Python in 1999. I even wrote C++ wrappers back in the day to load native C++ and custom modules into Python. I still love Python to this day-you can never go wrong with it. Keep going-you’re making a difference! Thanks for watching!
It's a ridiculous question. I',62 and keep ahead of the latest better than my younger colleagues and that is why I mentor them
I'm 66 and I'm still doing it.
Another question but related. How are you guys’ necks and backs and even hands? A few years back I totally switched to the lightest keyboard I could I find (HHKB using Topre switches) and try to use a trackpad instead of mouse even with a desktop. Back and neck not great but not super terrible. Trying to “sit up straight” all the time.
Gotta exercise, my friend. Having strong core body muscles certainly helps to avoid back problems
@@panjacek6674 agree. I do.
I totally get it-I’ve dealt with back and neck pain too. I even tried a standing desk, but it only helped a little. What really made a difference was cutting back on sugar, carbs, and alcohol to reduce inflammation. After about 3 days of cutting those out, the pain started to ease up. It wasn’t an instant fix, but once I weaned off those, things got better. I also added 30-minute walks during lunch. No intense workouts, just a consistent habit to keep inflammation down. It’s been a total game-changer for me!
Hello, sir. Do you use Cursor IDE or something else?
Hi There,
No. Not using any AI-based IDE. Did you have a specific question regarding Cursor IDE? I'm curious. Thanks for watching!
Nope. 58 year old dev here. Started with BASIC when I was 15 and started professionally when I was 23. I am not programming daily, but certainly weekly. The code I write today is definitely much better then when I was much younger. Experience rules!
Hey @sanderdejong66, that's awesome to hear! I also got started with BASIC in high school - it was just me and one other guy who were interested in the Apple IIe in the library. I had 30 minutes before class each morning to mess around with it. The computer was always free because no one was interested in it in my school back in the day. Good times! My high school also offered Pascal, which I took my senior year - that really solidified my desire to be a software dev. It's great to hear about your journey, from BASIC at 15 to still coding weekly at 58. What's one thing you wish you knew back when you were first starting out? Thanks for sharing!
@ Good question. I think it’s good that I didn’t know at the time that later almost all software development stuff would be free! I would have been so impatient.
A great video thank you for that
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!
In my opinion it boils down to: if you have experience then you are too expensive. Without experience you will repeat lots of errors. Chasing the latest fashion doesn't make you a better engineer. Becoming a fashion victim means that you have a very limited knowledge of what technologies exist and why. With enthusiasm you can easily run full speed into the wrong direction.
You nailed it, @gammalgris2497. It really is a double-edged sword: experience brings immense value, but that value often comes with a price tag companies aren’t willing to pay. On the flip side, a lack of experience means repeating mistakes that could’ve been avoided. Some companies gamble that younger devs can ramp up quickly enough to replace senior-level talent. Maybe that works in rare cases, but I don’t think it’s the norm.
And you’re spot on about chasing trends - the latest and greatest doesn’t always mean the best fit. It’s like that saying: the grass is always greener on the other side. New tools and frameworks might look shiny and exciting, but once you start using them, you often discover a whole new set of issues. New framework, new problems. I’ve seen it happen far too many times. The tech landscape is full of buzzworthy tools, but knowing why a technology exists and when to use it (or not) is what separates solid engineering from, well, fashion victims.
Enthusiasm is great, but like you said, it’s easy to sprint full speed… straight into a dead end. Thank you for watching. I appreciate it!
If your kids are starving you're never too old for any job. It's either that or join a middle eastern mercenary group.
Ah yes, the classic career pivot: senior developer to mercenary-for-hire. One way to escape the 2 a.m. production outages, I guess! But seriously, I get your point - when it comes to putting food on the table, 'too old' isn’t really a thing. Thanks for watching!
my experience is that young developers tend to develop a lot of unnecessary stuff and overcomplicate things while many old developers are stuck in some old enterprise mindset like they have sold their soul to oracle or something..
Of course there are many exceptions in both age directions and I have worked with very nice old and young developers.
That's a really insightful take! Younger devs can sometimes get caught up in shiny new tools and over-engineer things, while older devs may cling to 'the way things have always been done.' But like you said, there are exceptions on both sides-great developers exist at every age. Will mixing perspectives lead to the best solutions? It certainly makes you wonder. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for watching!
Subbed! 👍
@@alexrafter Thanks! Ditto.
I’m 59. No intention to quit.
Hi @ThBraveBraveSirRobin, Thanks for watching! That’s awesome to hear. What do you think has been your main strength in keeping the momentum going? Would love to hear more about your journey!
The answer is no. You are valued as your current skills. You know what to do under stress. At the end is solving problems to the company.
It takes decades to become a good Software Architect - stay on the ball and you will be fine !
Great advice. I have a colleague who went from Dev -> Mgr -> Software Architect. Says that it is his niche 😁 Thank you for watching!
New/young devs are like python, uncompiled and scripted for the apparent dataset in hand. Older devs are experienced, knowledgeable to the underlying interactions, and resembly C/C++ (proven and rarely in need of rewrite).
Haha, love the comparison! New devs might be quick and flexible like Python, but yeah, sometimes they need a little ‘runtime debugging.’ Us older devs? We’re the C/C++ types-solid, maybe a bit stubborn, but when it comes to performance and knowing what’s under the hood, we’ve got it covered. Just don’t ask us to change syntax too often! Thanks again for sharing.
I never meet any software engineers under the age of 40 in pharma and I talk to people in many of the big companies.
Thanks for watching, Phil! That’s an interesting observation-it seems like pharma companies might really value experience when it comes to software engineering. Do you think that’s due to the complexity of the work, or is it just the way hiring trends have shaped up in the industry? Would love to hear more about what you’ve noticed!
@TonyTheAntonio I wouldn't say it was any more complex than other forms of industry. In the 25 years I've been in the industry most of the labs I visit have had the same staff long term. Technicians and scientists.
Also (different conversation) it is still 99% Windows due to IT departments and domain control.
Something very few people discuss are eyesight issues. As you get older, your eyesight deteriorates. I can't tell you how many devs I have seen rubbing their eyes...70 year olds...they can barely see the screen.
@genx7006 Thanks for watching! Absolutely! Eyesight is a huge factor, especially for devs. I can relate-I had to start wearing glasses at 46 (I'm 52 now), and it definitely took some getting used to. I lost a couple of expensive pairs early on, which was a good lesson in buying backups. It really makes you appreciate good ergonomics and screen setup. Have you noticed any specific changes in your work habits or setup to accommodate eyesight changes?
@TonyTheAntonio I just feel like I am losing my eyesight, slowly but surely. It's very concerning.
@genx7006 I'm really sorry to hear that things aren't improving. I can only imagine how challenging that must be. Sending positive thoughts and hoping you find ways to manage it.
@TonyTheAntonio It can easily be reversed by retiring! 😉
The best developers are between 50 and 65 years old because they cut their teeth on C and C++, and generally understands computer architecture because they had to to understand pointers.
Ok, fine. Everything you say is true. Every person who has experience as a developer knows it. But none of that is going to matter or change employers' minds. They will continue to look for young talent. Why? One of the reasons is money. An experienced developer will want to earn more while young people will work for less money. Every company knows that this will hurt them because they have to train these people and, let's face it, the younger generation is having trouble staying in their jobs (due to lack of focus, skills, etc.) Every company knows about these problems but nothing will change their minds about hiring experienced developers who know their worth and can defend their rights.
@posman_ Thanks for watching! I agree, the focus on younger talent is definitely a trend. But I think there's real value in having experienced developers mentor and guide new grads. However, if you were the experienced dev leading that ramp-up, wouldn't you be at least a little concerned about your own job security? Do you think companies are effectively balancing the cost of training with the value of experience and mentorship?
Christ mate, I'm older and working in what is known as a black spot for jobs. And the irony is that i'm earning more than I ever earned (which would be average with major cities) - all because of Covid - so my advise is keep improving your skillset and have a passion for software and you can code into your 60's
Love that perspective! It's wild how the world changes, but skills and passion always pay off. Proof that coding has no age limit - just a mindset limit! When I was developing my addons in Lua, it definitely made my understanding about Lua and the World of Warcraft APIs a little faster and hence it accelerated that development. I think regardless of the programming language also that in your point, if you have the passion for coding and improving skillsets, one can definitely code until they drop, per say. Thanks for watching.
short answer: yes
long answer:
yes 😅
🤣 😂
Perhaps the reason there are not many 50 year old devs is because we can’t be bothered to do it anymore. Old devs are not respected because most of their experience is not relevant to cutting edge devs. Also, the type of person showing up these days is quite different what was desirable in the old school devs from the 90s. These two groups of people are not part of the same culture, there is a culture clash and it’s not due to age, it’s not that simple.
Hi @paulbrown5839,
You make an interesting point. It’s true that the culture has shifted, and what was valued in the '90s might not be as relevant today. I think the clash isn’t just about age but also about different work styles and expectations. It’s definitely a complex issue. Thanks for sharing!
The main problem today is Companies want cheap. Our industry is being ruined by outsourcing to other countries. Just like happened with every other job. Greedy American Companies are gutting the middle class. There should be laws like in Europe about the ageism thing. I am 54 and have been lucky so far. I hope to make it to the age when I want to retire. Each time our company goes into layoff mode I worry. After the last year, I hope that won't happen again for another 5 years. You get what you pay for outsourcing.
Nah, I'm almost 60 and my projects have never been better.
I always envy people who are in this situation-why mess with something that’s working so well? If your projects are thriving, that’s the dream! Honestly, I’d love to have your job. Keep doing what you’re doing, and thanks for watching and sharing your experience. It’s inspiring!
Right on! 💯
Thanks for watching!
Young devs are cheaper thats the point
Hi @bookswiper,
You’re right-cost is definitely a factor, but I think experience brings value that can’t always be measured by price. It could still boil down to cost, though. For example, hiring one senior dev and the rest as younger devs in a team of 5 to 10 might take a little longer to get up to speed, but it could still be cheaper overall. I guess it’s back to the balancing act of better, cheaper, and faster.
What do you think-do you think experience is valued enough, or is the focus mostly on cost? Would love to hear your thoughts and thanks for sharing!
AI will explain to you what is waterfall and what is agile, bu real life is mostly water-agile-fall ;-)
seasoned devs learn from experience never turned into text available to train LLM models...
Thanks for supporting my channel! I agree, while AI can define waterfall and agile, it can't replicate the messy reality of "water-agile-fall." It's the practical, on-the-ground experience that truly counts, and as you said, those lessons aren't easily turned into training data. What's a common pitfall you've seen in projects that no textbook can prepare you for?
Young ones are cooked due to tiktok, bad food, vape , no physical work, adhd, gaming and anime. I prefer my age 34 or older.
Gaming and anime isn't bad but you should add pot to that list
Hi @bagzhansadvakassov1093,
You raise some valid points about how lifestyle choices can affect focus and productivity. It’s interesting how different generations have their own challenges and influences.
What do you think is the key to staying focused and productive in today's fast-paced world? Would love to hear your take!
@DARK_AMBIGUOUS, That definitely made the gaming and anime experience more interesting! I once raided in a game with a lead who was in an 'altered state'... and somehow, we had even more fun because of it.
Nope. I'm going to be 51 and still the youngsters haven't been able to out-code me. I'll probably code till I'm 90.
I have invested in dark shoe polish for my hair to hide my age.
You have hair?😂 I don’t.
@ thick hair in fact. Like George Lucas. My mom and pops have good hair. But it’s all starting to grey so my age really is showing.
Hey, if it works for shoes and hair, you’re just maximizing your investments 🤣! I think I started losing hair around my mid 30's. So sad, but gotta go completely bald someday. Thanks for watching!
Younger devs waste 10x of their time chasing their own tails.